


The Ruby, by Vengeance, Begyved

by HauntedClock



Category: Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart (Cartoon)
Genre: Drama, Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Memory Alteration, Mutual Pining, Violence, based on the reset au from spooky's old deleted tumblr, this was gonna be that but the story spiraled out of control so i made it its own thing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:08:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 47,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23219785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HauntedClock/pseuds/HauntedClock
Summary: The Ruby Pure Heart reshapes the world around Mao Mao, and he's the only one who knows it. It's up to our daring sheriff to set things right.
Relationships: Badgerclops/Mao Mao Mao
Comments: 44
Kudos: 130





	1. Chapter 1

The sun shone brightly, golden rays of glorious sunshine piercing the clouds early one spring morning. There was a warm, pleasant breeze that slowly shook the branches on the trees outside of the sheriff’s headquarters. Inside headquarters, however, was not so serene.

“Mao Mao said it’s _my_ turn on the Nimblembo Twitch!” Adorabat yelled as she hovered next to Badgerclops.

“ _Dude_! Come on!” Badgerclops yelled back without looking away from the television. He was sitting on the couch, invested in some sort of online multiplayer game and was visibly frustrated at the events unfolding on the screen. “We _still_ haven’t cleared this dungeon.”

“You’ve been playing all morning! I want a turn!”

“You’ll get a turn when the DPS stops drawing aggro!”

“I don’t know what that means!”

“It means I’m busy!”

“MAO MAO!” they shouted in unison.

From the kitchen, Mao Mao groaned loud enough for his deputies to hear him. He knew Badgerclops had been playing video games since midnight, He moved to the doorway and leaned against the frame, Lucky Ducky mug in hand. “Badgerclops, you’ve been at this for eight hours and you’re clearly not having fun. Take a break, would you?”

Badgerclops threw up his hands in defeat and groaned. “Fine!” Badgerclops moved the microphone on his headset closer to his mouth. “Guys, please learn how to play the game before I get back.” He put the controller on the sofa and got up, allowing Adorabat to eagerly take his place. He passed Mao Mao and headed for the fridge, muttering to himself as he opened the door.

Mao Mao looked over his shoulder at Badgerclops. “Besides, if you were _really_ good at the game, you’d be able to carry your team.”

Badgerclops removed his head from the fridge. “That is _so_ not how MMOs work, dude.”

Mao Mao smirked. Before the moment had a chance to last, an all too familiar alarm rang out throughout the house.

“ _Save my bacon! I’m really in a jam!_ ”

“The King’s alarm!” Mao Mao hopped to attention. “Deputies, to the aerocycle!” he ordered as he ran out of the kitchen.

Badgerclops sighed and returned the hoagie he grabbed back to the fridge. “This better be good…”

“Aw, phooey!” Adorabat threw the controller down on the cushion next to her. “I didn’t even get to play anything…”

By the time Badgerclops and Adorabat slid down the poles leading to the garage, Mao Mao already had his hands on the aerocycle’s handlebars. The three heroes donned their helmets before taking off, flying at top speed towards the castle’s throne room. The King has been known to abuse having the ability to call the sheriff’s department at a moment’s notice, but contrary to Badgerclops’ annoyance Mao Mao would never hesitate to answer a summons. When Mao Mao noticed the Ruby Pure Heart’s magenta glow, he remembered what happened the last time it did that and let his train of thought ride free on the tracks of fear.

On the approach to the courtyard anterior to the throne room, Mao Mao felt a dread he hadn’t felt since he cracked the Ruby Pure Heart. Bodies of unconscious guards lay scattered around the ground and bent over the hedges. While landing the aerocycle, Mao Mao had to be careful as nearly the entire guard force taking up so much space left little room for error. What little guards were still standing were being taken out as the aerocycle made its descent. The last of the guards were thrown back all at once, and the only person left standing was a moderately-sized hooded figure holding out a muscled, cream-colored arm. The rest of the figure was covered in a cloak colored in a deep shade of black that stood out from the bright whites and pinks of the castle. The cloak was designed such that the line indicating where it splits was aligned to the right.. The trio was only given a brief view of the cloak’s purple underside and the figure’s black pants before the cloak covered them, leaving only the feet exposed.

Mao Mao pulled out Geraldine as soon as he hopped off of the aerocycle and pointed it at the mysterious assailant. "All right, pal. You got some guts attacking the castle like this. Who are you?"

Badgerclops stepped off the aerocycle and made his way to Mao Mao’s left, tripping on a guard on the way. He readied his blaster as if nothing happened. Adorabat winged down to Mao Mao’s right and took up a fighting pose, holding one wing forward and the other backward.

The hooded assailant turned their head towards the large, golden doorway to the throne room for a moment then returned their attention to Mao Mao.

“Where’s the King?” Mao Mao asked, inching forward as he did so.

The assailant looked down at their feet and put one on the head of an unconscious guard that lay perpendicular to them. They moved their foot slowly down the guard’s body until it reached the stomach. The assailant moved their head up to look at the trio before kicking the body at the sheriff.

Mao Mao was expecting a fight with the assailant, but not this. He gripped Geraldine hard and dodged the guard by ducking underneath the projectile, but the assailant seemed to anticipate this. A large fist entered Mao Mao’s field of vision and threatened to make contact with his face, but a robotic arm grabbed the assailant's wrist and pushed it out of the way. Mao Mao felt the wind of the punch brush past his cheek.

“Not so fast, buddy!” Badgerclops gripped the assailant's wrist hard with his extended robo-arm, turned his body around and threw the assailant like a baseball.

The assailant sailed into the heart statue on the left side of the courtyard, knocking it over, and hit the wall behind it with a loud crash. At the same time the statue hit the ground, the assailant fell into the hedges that lined the walls.

Mao Mao stood upright and sighed with relief. "Thanks for the save." 

"I gotcha, bro," Badgerclops said with a smile.

The assailant wasn't done, however. They quickly recovered and zipped around the fallen statue, zeroing on Mao Mao once again. His deputies moved out of the way and gave him space to act. The assailant unleashed a flurry of kicks directed at the sheriff's head and upper body. The assailant alternated feet in their attacks in a flashy display of flips and spins. The kicks came out at a speed that left little room for Mao Mao to counter. Every time Mao Mao tried to stab or swipe at the assailant they would simply incorporate a dodge into their combo and keep going. The obstacles littering the ground weren't helping him gain ground, either. He needed a way out, some method of creating space between them.

Thinking the same thing, a blue, bat-shaped projectile came barreling into the assailant's side, forcing an end to the onslaught and sending them flying. The assailant hit the ground once, twice, then landed on their feet the third time, sliding backwards with it's right paw on the ground. "Don't forget about me!" Adorabat taunted as she flew over to the assailant's position. She landed about a meter away from them and hopped from side to side, throwing punches with her wings. "You picked the wrong sweetypie to mess with! I didn't get to play 'Ending Fantasy XV' because of you! Even though Badgerclops said it was a bad game, I wanted to try it! So you're gonna… PAY!" Adorabat ceased her taunts and flew straight up with one powerful flap of her wings.

The assailant's hidden gaze followed Adorabat before realizing what she was doing. Almost too late did the assailant roll out of the way of a large blue laser ball fired from Badgerclops' robo-arm. The projectile hit the doors to the throne room and exploded on impact, forcing the doors off their hinges and breaking the walls flanking the impact zone.

"Oooh, I am _not_ paying for that," Badgerclops winced. He noticed the assailant stand up, and they seemed to be analyzing him. This stillness lasted only a moment before the assailant broke into a sprint. Badgerclops fired away at the approaching assailant, shooting laser pellets as if his robo-arm were a semi-automatic rifle. The assailant serpentined, rolled and flipped across the courtyard as they made their way towards the badger. They deftly avoided the unconscious guards as if to show off how untouchable they were. On the approach, the assailant revealed their right arm once again, letting it hang towards the ground. Badgerclops hoped the assailant would do that, and when they wound up the punch he transformed his cannon back into a hand. Badgerclops caught the fist that was intended for his gut, his robo-arm absorbing the shock of the impact. He smirked, knowing his plan was about to go off without a hitch. "Gotcha!"

From behind the assailant, Mao Mao jumped up high and raised Geraldine above his head. Before the assailant could react, Mao Mao landed, bringing his sword down with him. A line appeared on the back of the cloak, and the two halves slowly slid down to reveal the assailant's true identity.

Badgerclops opened his eyes in shock, and his grip on the assailant's clenched fist weakened. "Uh, Mao Mao–woah!" Before Mao Mao could lift his head to see what Badgerclops was going on about, the assailant grabbed Badgerclops' robo-arm with both hands and swung him around. The big badger was thrown into the small feline and the two went rolling over one another across the ground. They eventually stopped thanks to the friction caused by the bodies in their path. Mao Mao lay to the left of Badgerclops and groaned as he tried to move.

Adorabat flew over to her companions, worry practically spelled out across her forehead. She landed on Badgerclops’ right and shook him with her wings.

The assailant slowly and menacingly walked over to the trio, stepping on the guards as they did so. With great effort, Badgerclops rolled onto his side to make eye contact with the approaching threat, leaning on his robo-arm for support. Adorabat held her wings up to her mouth as she looked down at her hero.

The sheriff rubbed his back as he stood up. He put his free hand on Badgerclops' body for support. "What is it Badge—" Mao Mao tried to finish his sentence but the identity of the assailant brought his train of thought to a screeching halt. His eyes went wide with surprise. The breeze did nothing to warm the chills that went down the sheriff's spine.

King Snugglemagne XXV stopped his approach and stared deep into the sheriff's eyes with a look of stern disappointment. The meters between them were filled with a mixture of contempt and confusion. The king faced away from the sun and the glowing Ruby, causing his countenance to be partially shaded by his large, red mane. Despite that, his turquoise eyes were as bright as ever, giving the illusion that they were glowing.

Mao Mao's mouth moved as he tried several times to start a sentence but nothing would come out. His legs shook, and if his hands weren't trembling he would make a fist. The muscles in his face tightened; he could feel his brow furrow and his lips part to bare his teeth. His confusion was quickly turning to anger the longer he stared into the eyes of his king.

"Mao Mao, we just beat up the king," Badgerclops whispered loudly. "And, like, in a super serious way this time."

Mao Mao didn't hear a word Badgerclops said. Finding his courage, he walked around the badger and stood in front of his deputies. He gripped Geraldine tightly in his hand before he spoke. "Your grace, what is the meaning of this?"

Snugglemagne remained silent for the moment. His gaze bounced between the trio before him. When his attention returned to Mao Mao, his sheriff and his deputies all noticed his expression soften slightly. He closed his eyes and turned his head to the side.

"I'm giving you one chance to explain yourself," Mao Mao warned. "If you don't take it, as an officer of the law I'll be forced to apprehend you."

The light that was emitting from the Ruby Pure Heart pulsed once, accompanied by a dull hum. Mao Mao, Badgerclops and Adorabat turned their attention to it.

“Why is it doing that?” Mao Mao asked. He returned his attention to Snugglemagne and noticed the king hadn’t acknowledged him. “Your grace!" he yelled as he pointed Geraldine towards Snugglemagne.

“I suppose trying to run was foolish,” Snugglemagne finally said. The Ruby’s light pulsed once again.

Mao Mao lowered his blade slightly, and silently waited for further explanation.

Snugglemagne looked to Mao Mao with eyes that lost the glow they previously had. “I was afraid. Whatever happens, do not make my mista—”

The Ruby Pure Heart exploded with light, a magenta sphere expanding outwards in all directions to encompass the entire valley. The hum sharply increased in volume to sound more like a foghorn, with such an intensity that the ground shook. Mao Mao managed to close his eyes just in time, and his ears were exposed to the deafening roar of the Ruby for only a second before he dropped Geraldine and squished his ears against his head with his hands. Mao Mao was completely immobilized as the combination of light, sound and vibration stripped him of the majority of his senses. The assault on the feline’s senses lasted about a minute, and when the vibrations under his feet ceased Mao Mao opened one eye to check his surroundings.

The world around Mao Mao was shrouded in a very dull sepia tone. The hero's crimson attire and green eyes stood out against the gray-brown scenery. The air around him was uncomfortably still, the warm breeze he once felt no longer present. The clouds did not move, titmice hung in the air mid-flight, and a lack of ambient noise accentuated a soft ringing in Mao Mao's ears. It was as if time itself had stopped.

Mao Mao looked over at Snugglemagne, who stood hunched over, as if he was frozen in the middle of a flinch. Mao Mao walked up to his king and examined him, noting that something about him seemed particularly grainy, like he was looking at a replica made of sand. "What the…" Mao Mao could not let his curiosity go unsated and he reached out for Snugglemagne with a hand.

Before Mao Mao could make contact with Snugglemagne, the lion's mane began to dissolve. Specks of dust floated away from the king's form, carried away by a wind Mao Mao couldn't feel. His hand recoiled and he gasped as the image of his king faded away before him. His eyes darted around Snugglemagne's figure, still trying to understand what he was seeing, when a new thought entered his mind and made him turn around. Badgerclops was covering his eye with his flesh arm while guarding Adorabat with his robo-arm. Both of his deputies were in the same state as Snugglemagne, frozen and made of dust waiting to be carried away. And they would not have to wait long, as mere seconds after Mao Mao saw them did they too begin to fade away.

"Badgerclops! Adorabat!" Mao Mao rushed to his companions. He lifted his forearms and bounced his gaze between his two deputies as he watched their images slowly and silently disappear. He wanted to grab hold of them, he wanted to keep them from leaving, but he wasn’t sure if he would just make things worse. He tried to grab Badgerclops’ flesh hand but it burst into a cloud of dust under the pressure of Mao Mao’s hand. Mao Mao panicked, taking a step back and bringing his hands to his mouth. The dust that once represented Badgerclops’ hand brushed against Mao Mao's face as it drifted away. He looked down at Adorabat, whose ears were already gone. “No no no no no!” Mao Mao reached his hands out to hold her but stopped himself just before making contact. He so desperately wanted to do something but he was at a loss. He backed up and stood equidistant between his deputies and his king. He turned around to see that Snugglemagne was halfway gone.

The nonexistent wind picked up speed, hastening the departure of Mao Mao’s world. The walls of the castle, the roofs of the buildings, even the ground itself began to leave him. Holes formed in the scenery where reality itself disintegrated, exposing an endless black void. Mao Mao's breath hastened as his eyes darted around the area looking for anything to hold on to. What remained of his friends was quickly swept away all at once without further ceremony. Mao Mao was all alone, staring mouth agape at the space where Badgerclops and Adorabat once stood. His hands twitched and his mind went blank.

The speed of the wind picked up once more, and the walls around Mao Mao were deteriorating much faster than before. What Mao Mao failed to notice was that the ground around him was also quickly disappearing. All at once, the piece of ground Mao Mao was standing on gave way. Mao Mao fell into the infinite blackness below, screaming as he helplessly reached for anything to grab hold of. His view of the world was getting smaller and smaller as he fell. Through the hole he fell from, the last thing he saw before darkness overtook his vision was a large, magenta ruby.

* * *

Mao Mao’s eyes shot open. His vision was blurry, and blinking wasn't helping. He couldn't ignore how much his eyes stung and assumed he woke up before getting a full night's rest. _Oh, thank goodness. It was all a bad dream_ , Mao Mao thought to himself. _What time is it?_ Mao Mao wondered as he rubbed his eyes. The room was dyed orange by the early morning sun entering from the window to his left. He couldn't make out the finer details yet, but he noticed a large, obsidian rectangle across the room and wondered when they put a television in the bedroom. He sat up and stretched his arms up high. When he realized how much clearance his arms had despite sleeping on the bottom bunk, Mao Mao took a good look around his immediate area. He looked up at the ceiling he wasn't supposed to see. He looked to his left at the window that wasn't supposed to be there. He looked below the window at the badger who wasn't supposed to be in his bed.

Mao Mao quickly pushed himself out of the bed, landing head-first on the carpeted floor. He rubbed his head until he noticed a sensation in his lower back that shouldn't have been there. He moved a paw to the problem spot and his eyes widened at what he felt. In front of him was a tall mirror that he could use to confirm his suspicions. Mao Mao stood up and turned his behind towards the mirror.

"My tail… I have my tail back?" Mao Mao voiced his confusion as he stared at his naked body. He moved his tail up and down, left to right, and even wrapped it tightly around an arm to test its strength. “It’s like I never lost it.”

Mao Mao looked to his left at the sleeping Badgerclops. He was glad he didn't wake his friend, but he needed answers. He scanned the room, looking for any semblance of familiarity. The bed was fitted into an alcove where the wall next to the bed was a window of eight glass panes arranged in two rows of four. The walls were painted a light shade of cream and mostly featureless aside from a couple of shelves housing some knick knacks. Next to the mirror was an in-wall closet that Mao Mao decided to investigate. Inside were an assortment of outfits made for both himself and Badgerclops. There were even a few pairs of shoes on the floor. He closed the closet and headed towards the door on the opposite side of the room.

Through the open door Mao Mao saw the living room. There was a flat screen television bigger than the one in the bedroom. In front of that was an oval, mahogany table and matching fiber couch. To his left against a wall was a glass display cabinet full of various trophies and awards, none of which he recognized. Next to the case was a number of photographs featuring him and Badgerclops, only he doesn’t remember being there for them. "This is _not_ HQ," Mao Mao deduced.

Mao Mao heard the shuffling of sheets behind him. He looked back to see Badgerclops sitting at the edge of the bed. He yawned with his flesh… right hand. Mao Mao was able to hold back a gasp as he realized his friend had also been reunited with his lost appendage.

Badgerclops smiled at Mao Mao. "Morning, babe."

"B-babe?" Mao Mao sputtered.

"Yeah? You said I could call you that when we're alone." Badgerclops stood up and sauntered over to Mao Mao. He noticed a look of panic in Mao Mao's eyes. "You okay, man?" Badgerclops asked, concerned.

"I… uh…" Mao Mao breaks eye contact and clears his throat. He turned his head back towards the living room. "Where are we?"

"Uh, our house?" Badgerclops replied with a raised eyebrow.

"I mea—" Mao Mao sighed and shook his head. He looked Badgerclops in the eyes. "Are we… _not_ in Pure Heart Valley?” Mao Mao asked slowly.

“‘Pure Heart Valley?’” Badgerclops repeated with a smirk. “Dude, what kind of dream did you have last night?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't you just hate those days where you brush your teeth, get dressed, eat breakfast, only to wake up and have to do it all over again?
> 
> Hopefully I can finish this before any new episodes destroy the headcanons that make this story possible. Comments? Criticisms? Post them below!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The absolutely all-star writer Hekmugi beta-read this chapter! Enjoy!

Mao Mao sat at the small, circular table in the equally small dining room. The room was illuminated solely by the morning sunlight entering through the window to Mao Mao's right, though that warmth paled in comparison to the one provided by the shirt he was wearing. It was a simple T-shirt depicting a pineapple wearing a pink thong, but it belonged to Badgerclops which meant the hem of the shirt nearly touched the ground when worn by someone as short as Mao Mao. That is, until he realized he could hold up the back of the shirt with his tail. Mao Mao would never consider exposing his backside like that under normal circumstances, however being alone with the only man he could trust his body to assuaged his inhibitions.

Minutes prior, he told Badgerclops about the inconsistencies between his memory and the world around him. It took some convincing, but Badgerclops eventually believed Mao Mao wasn’t playing a bad prank on him. Badgerclops wanted to have a talk about what was going on but he needed to fetch something from the garage, so for the time being Mao Mao was alone with his thoughts. The last thing he remembered seeing was the Ruby Pure Heart. Before that, it was the image of his world fading away while he was powerless to stop it. The fabric resting on his fur brought to mind the image of Badgerclops. His thoughts were inundated by regret, his inability to voice his feelings before…  _ No, Mao Mao. He's not gone, _ he thought as he shook those troubling thoughts from his head. _ You can get him back. You just have to figure out how. _ First, Mao Mao had to get back to Pure Heart Valley. He racked his brain trying to find any clues that had the smallest chance of leading him back home. That’s when he remembered—

Mao Mao heard a door close in another part of the house, shifting his focus outward. Soon after, Badgerclops, sporting his brown bandolier, entered the dining room from Mao Mao’s left. He approached the chair opposite Mao Mao but the coffee machine emitted a loud jingle at the same time. “One sec,” Badgerclops said, holding up a finger. Badgerclops turned around and walked into the kitchen to fetch their coffee. He reached for the cabinet above the coffee maker and grabbed two mugs, one baby blue Lucky Ducky mug and one brown and white badger-themed mug. Mao Mao watched intently as Badgerclops carefully added different levels of sugar, milk, and creamer to each mug. Badgerclops returned to the dining room and placed the Lucky Ducky mug in front of Mao Mao with a smile.

Mao Mao blew away the steam rising from the coffee and took a sip. "Wow, this is delicious."

Badgerclops took his seat across from Mao Mao. "I know how you like it." He tapped his fingers against the sides of his mug. “So, you really lost your memory?”

“No,  _ you _ lost  _ your _ memory.”

Badgerclops sighed. “Okay. Why don’t we start from the top? You said you lost your tail on an adventure with Bao Bao?”

“That’s right. I was holding up a boulder so that we could run away from a monster, but he left me behind. I had to drop the boulder and it fell on my tail.”

“But Bao Bao is, like, twice your size and he’s super buff. Why would he make you lift something so heavy?”

Mao Mao shook his head. “Bao Bao is half my size and needs to be kept on a leash or else he’ll run after the first butterfly he sees.”

Badgerclops opened his eye for a moment to stare at Mao Mao and process what the feline just said. “Oh boy.” He took a couple sips of his coffee before continuing. “Let’s move on.”

Mao Mao folded his arms and slouched in his chair.

“I’m supposed to have a robo-arm?” Badgerclops asked. “Did I lose my arm at some point?”

“Yes, before we met,” Mao Mao looked away from Badgerclops, “but I never asked how it happened.”

Badgerclops could hear the regret in Mao Mao’s voice. “Well, I don’t have anything like that, but I do have something that’s pretty cool.” Badgerclops reached into two of the pouches on his bandolier and pulled out two custom-made gadgets. He held up the first of the gadgets: a fingerless leather glove with a grapple hook mechanism on the top. “We kept running into situations where we could use a shortcut up to a high location or a means of bringing down a flying enemy, so I made myself a grappling hook.” He set the second gadget on the table in order to put the glove on his left hand.

Mao Mao stared at the device before him. It was a gray pistol with a barrel twice as tall as it should be. The opening at the end of the barrel was thin and rectangular. Without a visible hammer, Mao Mao assumed it was a laser blaster. The gun was covered in blue accents, a couple lines leading to the gun’s muzzle. Embossed on the lower end of handle’s black grip was a small white-outlined version of Mao Mao’s head, his green eyes portraying an angry expression.

Badgerclops noticed Mao Mao staring at the gun. “Pretty cool, right?”

Mao Mao grinned. "You made this?"

"Oh, I did more than just  _ make _ it," Badgerclops said with a confident smile. Mao Mao recognized that smile; it was the smile of a badger who was about to strut his technological stuff. Badgerclops gripped the handle in his right hand and turned one side to him. "I  _ crafted _ it!" Badgerclops exclaimed as he flicked a lever above the trigger with his thumb. Mao Mao heard something click and before he could ask what that was the gun shifted and contorted into a double barrel shotgun. "Eh?" Badgerclops asked excitedly. Without waiting for an answer, he flicked the lever again and the shotgun transformed into an assault rifle. There was no slot for a magazine but there was a vertical grip under the chassis for extra stability, as well as a scope on top for precision aiming. "Eh?" he asked again, and once more he flicked the lever immediately after. The gun underwent one final transformation into its biggest form: a shoulder-mounted railgun. It was bigger than Badgerclops' arm, and the side of the cannon had a fold-out scope that allowed Badgerclops to aim at distant targets while also showing him the charge status of the cannon. "EH?!" Badgerclops laughed with glee.

Mao Mao laughed with Badgerclops. Positivity was radiating from the badger like a star's light and pierced through every cell in Mao Mao's body. He was truly impressed. "Good to see you're as much a tech junkie as ever."

Badgerclops continued to giggle as he flicked the gun's lever down, reverting it to its original pistol state. "Sorry, got a little carried away there."

Mao Mao shook his head. "You're a genius, Badgerclops. Don’t apologize for that."

Badgerclops slid the pistol into a holster on the bandolier. "Thanks, bro." He let out a deep breath. "So, the last thing to talk about would be…"

Mao Mao suddenly felt awkward. "Yeah. Um, about that 'babe' thing. Are we…?"

"Uh, well… not really?" Badgerclops admitted. "Like, we've gone on 'dates,' we sleep in the same bed, you let me call you cute nicknames and stuff, but I never—I mean we never…" he scratched the back of his head, "... you know. I guess we never got that far in your memory either?"

Mao Mao looked down at his coffee. "No," he said as flatly as he could. Hearing that the situation between the two of them is just as close to a tipping point as he remembered made his face warm. Here was Badgerclops, the object of his affection, so close to admitting that the feelings between them were mutual. Even if this wasn't the Badgerclops he remembered, Mao Mao saw an opportunity that never would have presented itself under any other circumstance. He resisted the urge to speak up, however.  _ First thing’s first, get everything back to normal.  _ **_Those_ ** _ feelings can come later. _

Badgerclops opened his eye. "Oh, speaking of dates, you and I were gonna go fishing after breakfast."

Mao Mao looked up at Badgerclops and narrowed his eyes. "Really?"

Badgerclops stood up. "I know we've got… whatever you've got going on right now, but maybe we should take things slow. Relaxing might do your mind some good."

"You still don't believe me," Mao Mao said, disappointed.

Badgerclops sighed. "Look man, I believe  _ you're _ telling the truth, I just don't think your brain is telling  _ you _ the truth, y'know?"

Mao Mao huffed and turned his head towards the window. He started chugging his coffee without another word.

Badgerclops frowned. He stared at Mao Mao for a moment, trying to decide what to do. When he reached an answer, his figure slumped as he let out a sigh. "We have these information brokers we deal with. They give us tips on criminal and monster activity. I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask them about this 'Pure Heart Valley’."

Mao Mao turned to Badgerclops, surprised.

Badgerclops put his hands on his sides. "Let's eat some breakfast and head out."

Mao Mao looked away for a moment, feeling bad that he got what he wanted, but returned his gaze to Badgerclops with a soft smile. "Thanks."

Badgerclops smiled back. He moved to the kitchen. "How do omelettes sound?"

"Pretty good right about now," Mao Mao admitted. "Oh, before I forget, those 'information brokers’, who are they?"

* * *

Brown fingertips tapped rhythmically on a wooden desk. An orange fox wearing a white vest and turquoise ascot rested his head on his left hand as he stared at the front door to his office with an annoyed expression on his face. The blinds were drawn over the windows and a single light bulb in the ceiling fan illuminated only the path from the door to the fox's desk. The rest of the room was left shaded in a dark blue hue.

“We should have opened three hours ago,” the fox complained, "but we can’t do that when we’re the only staff to show up!”

A small, gray-blue raccoon wearing a crimson bow tie emerged from the shadows carrying a stack of folders. “Aw come on, Rufus. You’ve been complaining ever since you got here. Why don’t you help me organize these files?”

“Because, Reg, that is  _ your _ job.  _ My _ job is to deal with the customers.”

Reggie looked at the door then back to Rufus.

“I must be ready and available when the need arises. You understand, don’t you?”

“Oooh, gotcha.” Reggie bounced the stack of folders against himself and resumed walking past Rufus’ desk.

Rufus sighed and returned his gaze to the door.

Meanwhile, Badgerclops landed the aerocycle in an empty parking space in front of a small, one storey office building. The exterior was made of red bricks and had no outstanding features beyond the store logo above the door. He removed his helmet and turned the vehicle off. "This is the place." Badgerclops looked around at the empty parking lot of this building, as well as every other surrounding building. “Uh, where is everyone?”

"Mmm," Mao Mao halfheartedly replied without actually listening to what Badgerclops said. He released his grip on Badgerclops and dismounted the aerocycle. Standing to the right of the parking space, he read the name of the building aloud. "The Quick Brown Fox," Mao Mao said, punctuating his reading with a groan. “Out of the two people who could know where Pure Heart Valley is, Rufus was the one I least wanted to run into.”

"I know, dude," Badgerclops said, "you've been complaining ever since I told you their names. For the last time, trust me on this. They're not con artists."

Mao Mao unsheathed Geraldine. "They better not be."

"Be cool," Badgerclops advised as he walked past Mao Mao towards the door. “And if they don’t know anything, we can ask about your other lead.”

Mao Mao sighed in concession. As Mao Mao was about to return Geraldine to her sheath, he noticed something different about her. He stared at the blade with concern in his eyes. Holding the blade, she felt like she weighed as much as she was supposed to, but somehow she also felt lighter.

"Everything all right back there?" Badgerclops asked from the door.

Mao Mao put Geraldine away, along with his concerns, and stood behind Badgerclops.

Rufus perked up when he heard voices on the other side of the door. When it opened, he was greeted by the sight of the two heroes. "Mao Mao! Badgerclops! My two favorite customers!" Rufus threw his arms out in excitement and walked around his desk.

"Wassup, man?" Badgerclops asked, leaving Mao Mao at the door to fist bump Rufus.

"Oh, it’s terrible,” Rufus moved a paw to his forehead, “absolutely dreadful. It’s bad enough there are no customers, but Reg and I were the only ones who showed up for work.”

"It's a ghost town out there," Badgerclops said, briefly turning his head towards the door behind him. "I figured something was going on but you don't know anything either?"

"Is it really? Hmm…" Rufus put a hand to his chin. “I’m afraid I’m as in the dark as you are, my friend.”

“Then let’s cut to the chase,” Mao Mao said, stepping up to Badgerclops’ side. “What do you know about Pure Heart Valley?”

The question took Rufus by surprise. “Ah, Mao Mao. You seem… cross, more so than usual. Is something the matter?"

Badgerclops put his right hand on Mao Mao's left shoulder, both to take control of the conversation and to remind Mao Mao to curb the attitude. "It's been a rough morning," Badgerclops explained. "We could really use your help."

"I see," Rufus said, regaining his composure. "Well I’m afraid I’ll be of little help. That’s not a name we have any records of.”

"Are you sure?" Reggie called to Rufus from across the room. "I can che—"

"Reg, you're doing a great job, but I'm sure we don't have any information on Pure Heart Valley."

Reggie seemed to receive some sort of signal from Rufus and perked up. "Right! That stuff's long gone by now," he said cheerily and went back to organizing folders.

The air in the room became much more dense all of a sudden. Rufus forced a weak laugh.

Mao Mao did not laugh. Instead, he took a step forward and balled his hands into fists. “You lied,” he said in an unusually low and threatening voice.

“No, no no. I-I didn’t lie,” Rufus said as he backed up into his desk. “I said we don’t have any files regarding Pure Heart Valley and that’s true. We sold everything relating to that place and expunged all data concerning it from our records.”

“Who did you sell the information to?” Mao Mao asked, raising his voice and taking another step forward.

"I’m not at liberty to say!" Rufus held his right arm in front of him and used his left to support himself against the desk. "I was compensated for my silence. Revealing the identity of those clients would put a stain on my reputation!"

"How about I stain the wall behind you instead?" Mao Mao simply held Geraldine's scabbard at his side.

"You can’t be serious!" Rufus shielded his face with his arms.

"You should probably just give us what we want," Badgerclops chimed in.

Rufus continued to stand, trembling in fear. Mao Mao placed his hand on Geraldine’s grip and took another step forward, causing Rufus to shriek.

"The Sky Pirates!"

Mao Mao, Badgerclops and Rufus all stood still and turned their heads towards the source of the outburst: Reggie. Mao Mao was especially attentive. The raccoon waddled over to his friend. "We sold it all to the Sky Pirates."

Badgerclops looked over at Mao Mao, whose gaze was fixed on Reggie. He turned to the raccoon. “But, they disappeared on their last outing and no one’s seen them since.”

Rufus sighed. “Yes, it’s true there was an accident in the air that crashed their ship in a previously unknown location. It’s also true that most of the crew… didn’t make it. However, there were four survivors and they’ve been living a quiet life free of piracy.”

Mao Mao’s eyes widened, the neurons in his brain going into overdrive as he connected the dots about the situation. His assumptions were correct, which meant Pure Heart Valley was within his grasp.

“How do you know all this?" Badgerclops pressed.

“I don’t just keep quiet, I make sure no one else speaks. My agency has been protecting them all this time. I have to know where they live in order to keep people away from it.”

“And you’re going to give us that location,” Mao Mao said without releasing his grip on Geraldine.

Rufus nodded. Without turning his back to Mao Mao, he walked behind his desk and pulled a sheet of paper out of a drawer. "I'll give you the directions."

"Sorry, Rufus," Reggie sulked.

Rufus stopped writing in order to rub the top of Reggie's head. "It's quite all right, Reg. Were the guards present, these two would not have stood a chance. Besides, I would have done the same for you." The room was quiet save for the sound of Rufus’ pen gliding across loose leaf. Nearly the whole page was covered in black ink by the time he was done writing. He walked around the desk to Mao Mao and held out the paper. When Mao Mao reached for it, Rufus quickly moved his hand away. The two of them exchanged bitter stares. "You're a rascal," Rufus spoke angrily. "I will never forgive you for this." He returned his hand to its previous position.

Mao Mao gently took the paper in his hands and started reading it as if he knew where any of the mentioned landmarks were. "Hopefully you won't need to," he said without looking up. He turned his back to Rufus and headed for the door. "Let's go, Badgerclops."

"Yeah…" Badgerclops followed Mao Mao out of the office.

When the door closed, Rufus sat on his desk and put his elbows on his knees. Reggie approached the space next to his friend and scrambled up the edge of the desk. They smiled at each other as Rufus wrapped an arm around Reggie and pulled the raccoon against his side.

Outside, Mao Mao handed the paper to Badgerclops. "I'll drive."

Badgerclops stopped walking. "Hey, don't you think we went a little too far? They didn't do anything wrong and we basically robbed them."

Mao Mao mounted the aerocycle and gripped the handlebars. "Maybe. Still, we got some good info outside of these directions."

"About the Sky Pirates?" Badgerclops asked while approaching the seat behind Mao Mao. "What's cooking in that cute little head of yours?"

"I'll explain on the way," Mao Mao looked over his shoulder at Badgerclops, "and my head is  _ not _ little."

Badgerclops giggled. The two heroes donned their helmets and prepared to take off. Mao Mao revved the engine excitedly. "Let’s go charm us a snake."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The return of some familiar faces, with more on the way! Thanks again to Hekmugi for helping improve this chapter!
> 
> Comments? Criticisms? Post 'em below!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, fabulosity incarnate Hekmugi beta-read this chapter! Enjoy!

“Hold on, Mao Mao,” Badgerclops said, staring at the piece of paper Rufus gave him minutes prior.

“What?” Mao Mao asked, mildly annoyed. “I already revved the engine. You can’t just make me sit here like this.”

“I’m reading these directions, and it looks like we're heading into the Infinite Forest.”

Mao Mao looked over his right shoulder to his partner. “Uh huh? And?”

“And… right, you probably don’t know what that is.”

Mao Mao shrugged his shoulder into his chin. “Is it as infinite as they say?”

"Nah, but it  _ is _ pretty big. It's nearly 21 million square kilometers—wait, you know what meters are, right?"

"Yes, I know what meters are!" Mao Mao spoke quickly.

"Right, cool. Just making sure. Anyway, yeah, it's massive. No wonder the Sky Pirates were never found if they crashed down there."

Mao Mao's thoughts drifted towards the Sky Pirates. When Mao Mao first mentioned Orangusnake this morning, Badgerclops described the Sky Pirates as the most villainous band of thieves imaginable. They were ruthless, relentless, and left no village unrazed—whether they got what they wanted or not. A far cry from the dumpster-diving bozos Mao Mao was used to. Even at his most fearsome, Orangusnake hardly posed a threat to Pure Heart Valley; despite that, he and his crew never gave up. Mao Mao would never admit it, but he admired the tenacity of those pirates. "I wonder what happened to them…" Mao Mao thought aloud.

“Were you listening?”

“Huh?”

“I asked if you could take us to the strip mall across the street.”

“Oh,” Mao Mao replied meekly, embarrassed by his daydreaming. “What for?”

“There’s a store with supplies for camping and stuff. If the meeting with the Sky Pirates goes belly-up, I’m not sleeping on the ground.”

Mao Mao obliged Badgerclops’ request and drove the aerocycle to the shopping plaza across the street. As they expected, the ten-lane parking lot was completely empty. Although there were two smaller strip malls on either side of the lot, Mao Mao and Badgerclops drove straight forward towards the large one opposite the street. The largest of the stores was a supermarket, however the shops surrounding it were not much smaller.

Sandwiched between a nail salon and a deli was a store called Cabeara's. Posters about deals on steel-paw boots, camp stoves, and other outdoorsy items were stuck to the windows.

Badgerclops pointed to a picture of a red, plaid jacket. "You'd look good in that. We have a pair of jeans at home that would totally match."

"I'd look good in anything," Mao Mao said, taking only a glance at the poster as he walked past Badgerclops. He walked up to the motorized sliding doors, which opened much to Mao Mao's surprise. He refocused himself and walked past the doors. "Come on, we don't have time to accessorize."

Badgerclops rolled his eyes and followed Mao Mao into the store.

The sunlight entering through the windows was the only source of light. For a department store, it was barely enough to light the unmanned cash registers. Mao Mao knew the place would be empty, but that didn't change how unsettled he felt. Places this big shouldn't be this quiet. There should be overlapping conversations, innumerable footsteps, cash registers opening and closing, perhaps music playing over the loudspeaker. If this were an enemy lair or monster den, Mao Mao would be on guard. However, in this place where there was no threat to be found, he was just creeped out.

“Mao Mao, check it out," Badgerclops called from the aisle just across the doorway. His voice echoed throughout the entire store. He shined a flashlight into the air, flicking it on and off twice. "Come get one."

As much as Mao Mao didn't want to explore the store, he wanted to lose track of Badgerclops even less. He made his way toward his friend and took a packaged flashlight off the rack. "Badgerclops, these are still sealed. Did you open yours?"

"Yeah? How else am I gonna use it?"

"You can't just do that! That's stealing! Are you planning on stealing the camping equipment too?"

"Hey man, it's not a crime if you don't get caught."

Mao Mao's blood began to boil. He did his best to keep his anger in check. "Badgerclops, we are officers of the law and I—"

"What?" Badgerclops asked with a smirk. "No we're not."

Mao Mao blinked before continuing. "Well, we  _ were _ officers of the law. That means committing crimes is a no-no."

"Dude, you committed an armed robbery a few minutes ago. Remember?"

"Rufus was obstructing justice."

"We're not cops!” Badgerclops pinched the bridge of his snout. “Look, if you want to lay in the dirt and starve, that's on you.  _ I _ will be eating all the warm food I could want under the protection of my warm tent before going to sleep in my warm sleeping bag."

"Yeah?" Mao Mao put his hands on his hips. "Maybe I  _ will _ sleep on the ground."

"Uh huh," Badgerclops said, unconvinced.

"You can't stop me."

Badgerclops put a hand on his forehead, feigning a grand realization. "Ah, I can't believe I forgot! You're immune to the cold. I remember you saying as much the first time we camped together because you bragged about 'training in the mountains for years'," Badgerclops puffed out his chest as he imitated Mao Mao's voice.

Mao Mao folded his arms. "I don't sound like that."

"Oh, that's right!" Badgerclops said with a hand over his mouth. " _ This _ is what you sound like…" Badgerclops held himself and pretended to shiver. "'B-B-B-Badgerclops, I'm s-s-sorry. C-c-c-can we sh-share your sleeping b-b-bag, p-p-p-please?'" He couldn't help himself and laughed at his own story. He slapped his knee as his laughter came to an end. "But that didn't happen, right?"

Mao Mao had stopped looking at Badgerclops during that little performance. His face was warm and he was sure he was blushing.  _ Of all the things to keep the same, why did that night have to be one of them? _

"Chillax bro," Badgerclops used Mao Mao's head as an armrest. "I'll make sure we get two sleeping bags this time.” He leaned his head down as close to Mao Mao’s ears as possible. “Unless one is enough.”

Mao Mao lightly elbowed Badgerclops’ stomach. “You’re carrying everything.”

Badgerclops shrugged as he walked away. “Sure thing, babe.”

Mao Mao growled as he opened his flashlight. “I would  _ never _ agree to letting you call me that.”

Badgerclops stopped in his tracks. He was silent for a moment until he forced a few giggles. “Yeah, I guess not, huh?” he said in an uncharacteristically solemn tone.

A frown quickly grew on Mao Mao’s face, the pain in Badgerclops' voice all too apparent. He reached a hand out to his friend. “Badgerclops…”

“Didn’t you have something you wanted to explain to me?” Badgerclops asked without looking back. “Tell me about it while I grab the stuff.”

“Oh, right.” Mao Mao gulped before following Badgerclops through the store. He stood to Badgerclops’ right as they began their search. “Well, as we learned from Rufus, four Sky Pirates are waiting for us in the Infinite Forest.”

“Right,” Badgerclops said. “What’s so…? Oh, I think you did mention four Sky Pirates when you talked about Orangusnake.”

“That was only an hour ago. How could you forget?”

“I’ll be honest, when you started ranting about Rufus and Reggie I only half-listened to everything after that. Also, let me know if you see those really tall backpacks.”

Mao Mao sighed. “Do you at least remember what I said about the Ruby Pure Heart?”

“Yeah. I remembered that because I realized that’s where the valley got its namesake. You said the Sky Pirates wanted to use it to rule the world.”

“What else did I say?”

Badgerclops picked up two sleeping bags as he thought about his answer. “That it was responsible for a lot of bad stuff, even before it made things the way they are now.”

“Huh. You did listen.”

“I figured that stuff was important.”

“All of it was important!”

“Anyway, what were you saying?”

Mao Mao groaned. “I was saying that it’s no coin—” Mao Mao cut himself off and tapped Badgerclops’ arm. He pointed his flashlight towards a wall of backpacks. “Badgerclops, is one of these good enough?”

“Yeah, man.” Badgerclops grabbed a navy blue backpack almost as tall as him. He put the sleeping bags in it before returning to his spot at Mao Mao’s left.

“… It’s no coincidence," Mao Mao continued, "that we’re running into the only people who knew how to get to Pure Heart Valley before we broke its cover.”

“Well, yeah. One of them has intel on everything ever, so they pointed us to the one with the info we need.”

“It’s not just that. Why does it seem like they’re the only people in the world aside from us?”

“That's… kind of a good point, actually.”

“Exactly. And then there's the matter of my own memories. If the Ruby Pure Heart really caused all of this, why would it create a scenario that would lead us right back to it?”

"I dunno." Badgerclops knelt down and tried stuffing a tent kit into his backpack. He giggled at a thought he had. "Maybe it realized its mistake and wants you to come back."

Mao Mao grinned at the notion. "It could have at least splurged for an aerolimousine."

Badgerclops' giggle evolved into full-blown laughter. He nearly dropped everything as he moved an arm to his stomach.

That laughter brought a smile to Mao Mao’s face. He got down on the ground and helped stuff the tent into Badgerclops’ backpack. He looked into his friend’s eye with conviction. “I know what you’re feeling. It hurts, but you don’t have to bear the pain alone. We’re in this mess together, all right?”

Badgerclops smiled. "Thanks, Mao Mao."

Mao Mao and Badgerclops continued their venture through the store. They grabbed a portable stove and two camp chairs, then made a trip to the supermarket to loot some canned food, cutlery, and bottles of water. By the end of their shoplifting spree, the seams of Badgerclops' backpack strained as they carried the weight of the duo's crimes. After taking their fill, they took off towards their next destination.

Rufus' directions were quite detailed, though Badgerclops would have used the word "convoluted”. More than once did Badgerclops complain about how simple it would have been to connect two dots with a straight line rather than giving them the run-around. And that was just the portion of the directions pertaining to the city. Their journey into the Infinite Forest was even more annoying. Mao Mao was initially impressed by the sea of green rolling over the horizon, but diving into it saw them caught in an undertow of misdirection. Although, in this case, Rufus frequently made note of all the hazards they were avoiding by taking such an inefficient route.

The duo drove through the forest for several hours without pause. Through the thick canopy Mao Mao could see the sky was a deep orange. With the threat of darkness looming overhead, Mao Mao was worried he and Badgerclops would really have to camp out in these woods. Fortunately, like a gift from the heavens, golden rays of sunlight shone down on the roof of a large log cabin. It was two storeys tall with a dark green tile roof. Light seeped through the white curtains of the two first floor windows.

“This must be the place,” Badgerclops said.

Mao Mao breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness."

Mao Mao parked the aerocycle in front of the house and the duo walked the distance together. He approached the door, standing to Badgerclops' left. He raised his right arm to knock on the door only for Badgerclops to grab it.

"Wait!" Badgerclops whispered loudly.

"What?" Mao Mao asked.

"What's the plan?"

"You just take five. I'll handle this."

Badgerclops let go of Mao Mao's arm and gave a thumbs up. "You got this."

Mao Mao looked at the top of the door and took a deep breath. He rapped his knuckles against the door three times in quick succession. Mao Mao could hear nothing on the other side of the door. No voices, no movements, not even a television or stove. After thirty seconds Mao Mao was about to knock again when the much-anticipated sound of footsteps reached his ears.

The door cracked open, a security chain keeping it from opening much farther. A large, yellow eye peered through the opening. "Who are you?" asked a shrill, suspicious voice.

"My name is Mao Mao," Mao Mao gestured to his left, "and this is Badgerclops."

The eye squinted, then widened before the door suddenly slammed shut. A weight was heard slamming against the door from the inside. "Stay away!" the voice cried. "I know you're heroes! You’re here to take us in!"

"Calm down, we're not—"

"I'll give you whatever you want, just don't tell anyone we're here!" The voice feigned a plea as a pale brown hand moved towards a long, purple handle propped up in the corner.

Mao Mao sighed, but he could work with the voice's request. "We want your help. We need to find Pure Heart Valley."

The hand stopped moving.

"So, Rufus gave us up after all?" the voice asked.

"We…  _ I _ didn't give him much of a choice. This is important. You’re the last person we can turn to."

There was a moment of silence before the sound of metal sliding across metal was heard inside. Mao Mao and Badgerclops took several steps back as the door swung wide open. Stepping out of the shadow of the doorway was the leader of the Sky Pirates, Orangusnake, dressed in a pink T-shirt. The shirt's surface was consumed by a pink floral pattern that left little negative space. Down the middle of the shirt was a column of white buttons. Smiling at Mao Mao through a specially made hole in the buttons' path was the face of the orange orangutan that made up Orangusnake's body.

Orangusnake crossed his arms and looked down at Mao Mao. "Go on."

Mao Mao held his left fist against his chest before looking into Orangusnake's eyes. "Orangusnake, though it pains me to request the assistance of a villain such as you, the fate of Pure Heart Valley—nay, the fate of the world, rests in your hands. You, Ramaraffe, Ratarang, and Boss Hosstrich are the keys to setting right what has once been wronged."

"So?"

"Wh—'so'?" Mao Mao asked angrily.

"Uh, yeah. In case you haven't noticed, we're just fine here."

“And that means everyone else deserves to suffer?"

Orangusnake shrugged. "Sure. I don't see why that's my problem."

"You have the power to save everyone!"

"I don't care." Orangusnake unfolded his arms. "Maybe you forgot, but I'm not a hero. None of us are. Besides, the world's put us through too much for me to consider saving it." 

Mao Mao tried his best to relax the grimace on his face. He decided to make an effort to de-escalate the situation. "Orangusnake, the loss you experienced is one I understand greatly, and—"

"You? Understand?" Orangusnake raised his voice. His eyes widened and he leaned forward slightly. He walked slowly towards Mao Mao as he talked. "What do  _ you _ know? Was  _ your _ airship attacked by an invisible monster? After you crashed in completely uncharted land, did  _ you _ watch your crew get taken out one by one by an enemy none of you could see?”

Mao Mao started walking backwards in response to Orangusnake’s advance.

“Did the last of your crew cover  _ your _ retreat while  _ you _ carried three unconscious pirates in your arms? When you were discovered by a fox with connections to every hero on the continent, were  _ you _ forced to sell your last worldly possessions to keep him quiet? For the last five months, have _ you _ lived every day in fear that some two-bit hero and his fatso partner are going to take away what little you have left?!”

Mao Mao’s back met a tree, putting an end to his retreat.

Orangusnake loomed over Mao Mao and leaned in so their faces were mere centimeters apart. “You don’t know what loss is.”

Mao Mao pressed Geraldine’s handle against Orangusnake’s torso as a warning to the villain. His face plainly expressed his anger. “That ruby you were so obsessed with has taken everything from me. I’m supposed to be protecting Pure Heart Valley, showing my apprentice how to be a hero with my best friend, and kicking your butts every week. I may not have had my father’s respect, I may not have resolved all of my issues, and I may not have been a legendary hero, but it was my life. And now it’s gone, replaced with this lie you all think you’ve been living.  _ I _ know loss.  _ You _ don’t know anything.”

Orangusnake’s snout twitched. “Get out of my sight,” he hissed at Mao Mao.

Badgerclops put his left hand on Mao Mao’s right shoulder. Mao Mao did not break eye contact with Orangusnake, but his gaze bounced between Orangusnake’s eyes a couple of times. Mao Mao exhaled through his nose before stepping towards Badgerclops.

Orangusnake’s posture returned to its normal upright state. “If I see you again, only one of us is walking away.” He turned around and stormed off towards the house. He paused in the doorway, then slammed the door shut.

Mao Mao stared at the door for a moment until he realized how much the muscles in his face hurt. He relaxed his face and lowered his head.

Badgerclops moved his hand to Mao Mao's back. He smiled down at his friend. "Hey man, it's been a rough day. We should set up camp while we’ve got some sunlight."

Mao looked over at the house. "Are we planning on trying again tomorrow?"

"Something like that." Badgerclops pulled out Rufus' directions. "We didn't reach the bottom of the list."

Mao Mao looked at the piece of paper, but didn't actually read anything on it. "Is that right?"

"Whaddaya say we go check out the airship tomorrow?"

Picking up on what Badgerclops was suggesting, Mao Mao nodded in agreement. "All right. Camping it is."

The duo left the home of the Sky Pirates behind, and advanced a short ways down the path to the airship. Once the Sky Pirates' home was out of sight, Mao Mao and Badgerclops began setting up a camp. 

With the aid of his grappling hook, Badgerclops ascended the gargantuan trees and broke off any branches he could. On the ground, Mao Mao gathered the kindling and started a small fire. Badgerclops constructed the tent while Mao Mao cooked dinner next to the fire. By the time the last hints of orange disappeared below the horizon, the tent was set up and the sleeping bags were placed inside. Their work complete, Mao Mao and Badgerclops sat across from each other and enjoyed a hearty beef soup. Badgerclops ate his fill but made sure Mao Mao got enough to eat before finishing the pot. It had been a long day, so the duo wasted no time turning in for the night.

* * *

The night treated the heroic duo well. Wrapped in the warmth of their separate sleeping bags, Mao Mao and Badgerclops both got a full night's sleep. Though he hoped this was all just a bad dream, Mao Mao greeted the morning with a smile. Badgerclops was equally eager to start the day, though not eager enough to skip a meal. After a breakfast of canned fruit, Mao Mao and Badgerclops continued their journey into the forest. They walked side by side as Badgerclops navigated the path ahead, a light fog below the canopy obscuring their view of the sky.

"I was thinking about what Orangusnake said yesterday,” Badgerclops said. “About the invisible monster.”

“You have an idea of what it could be?”

“Yeah. It’s a spectral dragon.”

“I’m… not familiar, actually,” Mao Mao admitted.

“They’re very rare and very dangerous. Hearing that one tore open an airship doesn't surprise me. What  _ is _ weird is that it’s stuck around the wreckage, and for several months at that. Unless it leaves and somehow manages to find its way back…” Badgerclops let himself be absorbed by his train of thought, mumbling assumptions and assertions to no one.

Mao Mao tightly held Geraldine’s scabbard in his right hand and steeled himself for the fight ahead. This wasn't going to be like their other monster fights. This wasn’t simply a matter of protecting the valley as its sheriff. This was Mao Mao’s ticket home, and he couldn’t miss his train.

It didn’t take long for them to reach the wreckage of the Sky Pirates’ airship. Only one half of the airship remained, sitting on the dirt like an iceberg in water. Behind the airship, there was a path of fallen trees that the debris must have taken before settling in its final position. An enormous ring of bones surrounded the area like a trench. The circle had to be at least twenty-five meters across, and the airship sat close to the edge farthest from the duo. The circle was devoid of trees, however they were plentiful just beyond.

Badgerclops folded up his directions and slipped them into one of the pouches on his bandolier. He and Mao Mao looked to each other and nodded in unison. Badgerclops gripped his pistol in his right hand and jumped over the line of bones. Mao Mao quickly followed after him and drew Geraldine upon landing inside the circle.

The duo was suddenly struck with a feeling of unease. It was quiet. The air was still, and there was no sign of any dragon. They walked in a straight line and scanned their respective semi-circles, trying to detect any signs of life. They ceased their advance at the circle’s center and stood back to back. Mao Mao held Geraldine in front of him with both hands, the hilt low and the blade high. Badgerclops transformed his weapon into its shotgun form and tethered its movements to those of his eye.

A heavy thud sounded like it came from the ground just outside the wrecked airship. Mao Mao and Badgerclops both swiftly turned to attention, only to find nothing there. Clouds of red dirt burst up from the ground in time with the sounds of a slow, careful stride. The clouds approached the duo with no sense of urgency, contrasting the increased nerves of their targets.

Without warning, the source of the booming footsteps came to a halt just meters away. Mao Mao audibly gulped and took a step back. There was a sound like leather flapping in the wind, and a thin but wide cloud of dirt moved outwards in all directions.

About two meters above the ground, a pair of large, glowing, red eyes became visible as the dragon slowly lifted its eyelids. Its black pupils were thin and vertical, each surrounded by a circle of white dots along the interior walls of the irises. Mao Mao and Badgerclops stared in awe at the sight of those floating, red orbs.

The eyes zipped to the duo's left, a tail of red light following loosely behind. There was a loud thud against a nearby tree, and the eyes came barreling towards Mao Mao and Badgerclops. They both dodged in opposite directions, the dragon's paws sliding across the ground they once stood on.

Badgerclops lost sight of the red eyes after recovering from the dive he performed. He fired his shotgun, causing two cones of blue lasers to speed towards where he thought the dragon might be. Both cones missed the dragon, some lasers grazing a tree while most kept flying into the distance.

Those crimson orbs locked onto Badgerclops and dove straight for him. This time, Badgerclops hooked onto a tree behind him and grappled away in the nick of time. A loud thud and a large cloud of dirt burst from the spot where Badgerclops stood not one second prior. He was hooked about halfway up the tree, giving him a wide view of the area without his vision being obscured by the fog. He remained tethered to the tree and kept his feet planted against the trunk.

The dragon kept its focus on Badgerclops and rose to meet him. Badgerclops fired down at the dragon, but its eyes moved to his left and all of the lasers missed again. Not wanting to be a sitting duck, Badgerclops decided to unhook himself from the tree and grapple to another one a ways to his right. He managed to zip away just in time for the dragon's attack to smack the tree instead of him. Badgerclops swung on a wide parabola, his feet nearly scraping the ground as he pulled himself towards his hook. He glanced behind him and saw the red eyes quickly closing in on him.

"All right, change of plans." At the height of his path, Badgerclops released the hook from one tree and grappled towards another to his left. He swung around the area, gaining speed as he narrowly avoided the dragon's every attack. The sound of the dragon’s paws hitting bark was never too far away as it lept from tree to tree in pursuit of its target.

Mao Mao watched the display from the ground. He had never seen Badgerclops so… majestic. The badger’s movements were captivating, fascinating, and satisfying to watch. Though he could do little from his position, he silently cheered his friend on.

"I think I've led you on long enough," Badgerclops said. He made one particularly steep descent, and propelled himself into the open air above the airship. He untethered himself from the tree and gripped his shotgun with both hands. “Come and get me!” he shouted as he looked towards the ground. As he expected, the dragon was below him, its red eyes fast approaching. He pointed the barrels of his gun straight down and fired.

The dragon closed its eyes.

Suddenly, Badgerclops was alone in the air. His lasers missed their mark and hit the ground below. He didn’t hear the dragon flap its wings. "What?" Badgerclops didn't have time to think before he felt a heavy weight hit his back. Whether it was the dragon's fist or its tail he couldn't tell. Either way, Badgerclops was sent plummeting to the ground. He landed with a loud crash, sending dirt flying into the air.

"Badgerclops!" Mao Mao yelled as he ran to his friend. Badgerclops was groaning, trying to lift himself up in the shallow crater his landing formed. "Are you okay?" he asked, his words dripping with worry.

Badgerclops kneeled and gripped his shotgun in his right hand. Without a word, he twisted his upper body, aimed behind himself, and pulled the trigger.

The dragon cried in pain as scales were stripped from its face. The dragon was on a descent towards the badger, and was a mere meter away. Every single laser made contact. The unexpected damage called for a course correction. One powerful flap of its membranous wings forced a strong gust onto the duo, Mao Mao’s cape fluttering violently behind him. The dragon landed a great distance away, giving the duo plenty of space to breathe.

With great effort, Badgerclops stood up on his own. He smirked at Mao Mao. "I'm good."

"Did you plan that?" Mao Mao asked accusingly.

"If I said 'no', would that make me more cool or less cool?"

Mao Mao narrowed his eyes and flicked his tail in annoyance. Badgerclops shrugged, his smirk growing into a smile.

A loud slam snapped their attention away from each other. The dragon's off-white flesh was exposed to the air, and the sensation seemed to cause great discomfort. Its head was as tall as Badgerclops’ body and twice as wide. Its long, beak-like snout crinkled as it felt the cool air for the first time. One corkscrew horn remained on its head, as Badgerclops seemed to have blown off its twin.

Badgerclops took a step forward but Mao Mao moved in front of him.

"Thanks for softening him up for me," Mao Mao said without looking back. He gripped Geraldine tightly in his left hand. "I'll take it from here."

The dragon snarled at Mao Mao. It widened its stance; its head lowered and one puff of dirt appeared on either side.

Mao Mao walked towards the enemy, the one thing standing between him and Pure Heart Valley. Once the dragon was defeated, he could convince the Sky Pirates to help them return to Pure Heart Valley, he would figure out what the Ruby Pure Heart’s game is, and everything could go back to normal. He held Geraldine high above his head and prepared to land his most powerful move. "Lunar…"

Nothing. No light, no sound, no indication that Geraldine heeded his call. Mao Mao stopped in his tracks and looked up at his hand. "... Lash?"

A right hook made contact with Mao Mao’s left side, sending him flying into a tree. He hit the trunk hard and fell on his stomach.

"Mao!" Badgerclops called. He shifted his weapon into its assault rifle form and took aim at the dragon.

Mao Mao coughed. “That the best you can do?” he taunted as he stood up.

The dragon was fast approaching, and Badgerclops' laser barrage was not slowing it down. The dragon turned its head and opened its mouth in an attempt to eat Mao Mao. He ducked and the dragon's beak dug deep into the trunk of the tree behind him. He rolled out from under the dragon as it struggled to remove itself from the tree.

A thud was heard higher up on the trunk. The dragon's pulling became more aggressive until it bit off the part of the tree its mouth was stuck in. The dragon spit the wood onto the ground before turning towards Mao Mao. Badgerclops fired another volley of lasers in an attempt to draw its ire, but his distance to his mark and Mao Mao’s position in front of it meant that landing shots was next to impossible.

Mao Mao lowered his stance in anticipation of an attack. Futile, as the dragon would demonstrate. Mao Mao felt a vice tighten around his entire body and lift him into the air. He struggled against the dragon’s grip but there was nothing he could do. Mao Mao closed his eyes as he traveled through the air in an arc before being slammed into the ground. He opened his eyes just in time to see the dragon’s maw consume him.

Badgerclops gasped. “Mao!”

There was no crunch, no splat, no trace of Mao Mao. Instead, there was the sound of muscles flexing, teeth gritting, and saliva running across fur. Mao Mao forced the dragon’s jaw open from the inside. “Badgerclops!” he called.

“Just hold on!” Badgerclops responded. There was one idea he knew would work. Moving to the dragon’s side, he transformed his weapon into its railgun form and flipped out the red scope. Badgerclops gripped the trigger hard. Blue electricity surged between the two large prongs as the gun charged up. A blue circle appeared around the crosshair in his scope and closed in to denote charging progress.

Mao Mao struggled to keep his composure. His muscles ached, and the saliva at his feet threatened to slip him up any second. “I don’t know how much longer I can do this!”

“Three… two… one…” The blue circle disappeared completely. A loud, steady tone rang in Badgerclops’ ear. “FIRE!”

When Badgerclops released the trigger, a massive blue beam shot out of the railgun. Coiled in electricity, the laser pierced the space just behind the dragon’s exposed head. The laser dissipated almost as soon as it was fired, but its effects were seen just as quickly. The dragon’s head dropped to the ground and its pupils slowly dilated. There was a second thud, but Badgerclops couldn't see what made it.

Mao Mao crawled out of the dragon’s mouth, gasping for air as he rose to his feet. His front half was covered in dirt while his back was still drenched in dragon spit. He put his hands on his knees and did his best to regulate his breathing.

Badgerclops dropped the railgun and ran over to Mao Mao. "You okay?"

Mao Mao was exhausted, but for Badgerclops he managed to give a thumbs up and a toothy smile.

Badgerclops smiled back and slumped his shoulders in relief. "Sweet, that's taken care of. Let's go tell the Sky Pirates."

"That won't be necessary," a familiar voice called.

Badgerclops looked over his shoulder to see the former pirates approaching them. Orangusnake led them, wearing a blue version of the shirt he wore the previous day. Ramaraffe stood to his right, Boss Hosstrich to his left, and Ratarang sat on his leader's right shoulder. Orangusnake stood out as the only one not wearing his signature attire.

“We heard the battle all the way from our house,” Orangusnake said. “I can't believe you actually defeated that monster."

Mao Mao walked around Badgerclops and stood at his left. "Yeah, well, believe it," he said, his breath still slightly labored. “I know yesterday was…”

"I got you, dude,” Badgerclops muttered to his friend. “Mao Mao’s sorry about yesterday,” he told Orangusnake. "We thought this might make up for it. Do y’all think you could help us now?”

Orangusnake stared into the eyes of the two heroes for several moments, weighing his options. He walked with his hands on his hips and looked at the wrecked airship in the distance. “She won’t fly like this. We’re gonna have to fix her up.”

Mao Mao and Badgerclops beamed. “You'll help us?” they asked in unison.

“Aw, boss already made up his mind,” Ramaraffe said. “He's just being dramatic.”

“Ramaraffe!” Orangusnake shouted.

"Hey now, don't be shoutin' like that," Boss Hosstrich said. "It ain't like the woman lied or nothin'," he finished with a smirk.

"Boss Hosstrich," Orangusnake said, "I will make you wash dishes tonight if you—!"

Ratarang giggled in Orangusnake's ear.

"Ratarang! Not you, too!" Orangusnake played up how cornered he felt, but he couldn't help smiling at his crew's happiness.

Mao Mao and Badgerclops smiled at the display. “Thanks Badgerclops,” Mao Mao said. He was suddenly pulled against Badgerclops’ side. He was still too tired to fight it, but after the ordeal they just went through a hug was more than appropriate.

Orangusnake held a fist in front of his face. "The Sky Pirates will fly once again!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing arguments is difficult. I just want everyone to be friends from the get-go ;_; Anyway, this chapter would have been a disaster without Hekmugi's intervention. I can't thank him enough but that won't stop me from trying!
> 
> Comments? Criticisms? Drop 'em (like they're hot) below!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hekmugi, thank you for beta-reading this chapter! Everyone, enjoy!

Badgerclops hummed a tune as he turned the knob on the bathtub a fair amount counterclockwise. He kept a hand under the water to make sure he got the temperature just right. He needed to unwind, and anything less than a warm shower wouldn't cut it. When he was satisfied with the warmth, he engaged the stopper and directed the water to the showerhead. With his bandolier in the wash alongside Mao Mao’s clothes and his eyepatch on the counter, he was ready to step into the shower. He climbed into the tub and pulled the curtain behind him.

Badgerclops sighed with content as the water relaxed his muscles. "That's the stuff," he said with a smile. After what he just went through, he was going to take his time.

 _Man, it's just been non-stop crazy since yesterday morning_ , Badgerclops thought. _Can't believe we're really working with the Sky Pirates._

He lazily scrubbed himself as he reflected on the events of the past day.

 _Another day, another monster fight that almost ended in Mao Mao getting eaten._ The corners of his mouth curled upward as he remembered the sheer volume of those “coincidences”. _I guess some things never change._

He sighed. _Yeah, a lot's happened. Hopefully when things go back to normal, he and I can pick up where we left off._

 _But you already told him you two weren’t a thing,_ he mocked a high pitch voice in his thoughts. _Where’s there to leave off from?_

_I know, all right? I just mean, like… I don’t know. No, I do know. I mean, it’s true we haven’t actually officially started anything, but—_

_Friends don’t call friends “babe”,_ the voice interrupted.

_Sure they do!_

_While sleeping in the same bed?_ the voice pressed.

 _It was a mutual understanding! I know what we had, and so does Mao Mao. If what he said is true, then that means all I have to do is say something. Once we sort out my memories_ —

 _“No,_ **_you_ ** _lost_ **_your_ ** _memories,”_ Mao Mao had insisted.

 _“I would_ **_never_ ** _agree to letting you call me that,”_ Mao Mao had told him.

 _"Replaced with this lie you all think you've been living,"_ he remembered hearing Mao Mao tell Orangusnake.

Those statements repeated themselves in Badgerclops’ mind against his will. Even if Mao Mao was right, those words hurt. As much as Badgerclops believed in his friend, there was still a part of him that wanted to fight back. A part of him denied what was right in front of him and wanted to keep him from discovering the truth.

He shook his head in an attempt to rid his mind of those troubling thoughts. _No, Badgerclops. You already did this. Your memories are just playing tricks on you. Once he fixes everything, you'll be back to normal._

 _I hope you’re right,_ the voice whispered.

He lightly slapped his face a couple of times. _No, stop. I don’t have to hope; I trust him._ He sighed _. Well, I guess I can hope he forgot that stuff I said about us yesterday._

* * *

Mao Mao left his clothes on the floor just outside the bathroom door. Trusting that the fabric of heroes would get the care it deserved, he shifted his attention to his immediate surroundings. Hanging on the towel rack, in addition to a towel, was a bathrobe he borrowed from Ramaraffe. He turned the knob of the standing shower slightly counterclockwise and let the water flow. Orangusnake assured him that Badgerclops taking a shower upstairs wouldn't affect his own shower. Mao Mao was thankful for the heads up, but he wasn't planning on using warm water. A cold shower would refresh his body as well as his mind, and after the intense battle he had not an hour prior he needed the clarity. With a deep breath, he stepped into the shower and closed the door behind him.

As Mao Mao washed the dirt and saliva off of his body, he reflected on the battle with the spectral dragon.

_Ha ha, what a battle! That's what I like to see._

Mao Mao accidentally rubbed his side too hard, causing him to flinch and gasp from the pain.

_Ow ow ow ow ow ow! Ah, what a rush! Still, I guess I should be thankful Badgerclops bailed me out at the end there._

He paused his train of thought and sighed.

_Aw, who am I kidding? Badgerclops was the real star. All I did was make myself look stupid._

As the last clump of dirt fell off of his body, Mao Mao looked over at Geraldine. He couldn't let anyone else handle her so he propped her up against the wall, underneath the towel rack.

_I knew there was something off about her back at Rufus' office, but… this? Why are we going through this again?_

Mao Mao scrubbed his fur as hard as his injuries would allow, making sure there was no residual debris.

He groaned mentally. _As if there weren't enough problems. How can we be so close to Pure Heart Valley with more questions than answers? Think, Mao Mao. Everyone's counting on you._

Mao Mao turned his back to the shower so he could finish rinsing off. He almost jumped at the sensation of the cold water pelting his tail.

_What am I missing?_

With that question echoing in his mind, Mao Mao turned the water off. His shower complete, he stepped onto the soft bath mat and dried himself off.

_Whatever's going on, I just hope it’s not too late to set things right._

Mao Mao slipped into Ramaraffe's thick, violet bathrobe and tied the cloth belt around his waist. The sleeves were a bit longer than his arms so he had to expose his paws to handle anything. As much as he hated people looking at his paws, there was nothing he could do as his gloves were in the wash. When he picked up Geraldine, he stared at her for several seconds, running his eyes up and down the scabbard. He sighed and let his arms fall to his sides. The bathrobe had a fair amount of its length dragging on the floor as Mao Mao opened the bathroom door.

Mao Mao exited the bathroom, turned right, and followed the dark wood hallway into the living room. Earlier, Orangusnake told him and Badgerclops that the couch in the living room folded out into a bed. It was an optimal spot for movie night, but Mao Mao and Badgerclops were welcome to it for as long as they needed. 

Ramaraffe was sitting on the gray, Lawson-style sofa with her legs crossed, reading a book she held in front of her lap. As Mao Mao approached the couch, he noticed that Ratarang was sitting in her lap and reading along with her. He couldn't tell who the book was for, or if they were really reading together, but the sight brought a smile to his face nonetheless. Sure, they were vicious pirates who loved hurting people, but perhaps that was the point; seeing them act like normal, vulnerable people was a novel experience. Whether it was genuine happiness or twisted curiosity, Mao Mao couldn't help but stare. Not wanting to disturb this peace, Mao Mao banked a hard right into a second hallway. To Mao Mao’s left were the stairs leading up to the second floor, while the kitchen and dining room were to his right. He admitted to himself that he felt a bit parched, so he made for the kitchen.

Orangusnake leaned against the counter with his left arm and held a glass of orange juice to his lips with his right. Upon seeing Mao Mao enter the kitchen, he lowered his glass. "You certainly didn't waste any time." He opened a cabinet above his head and pulled out a second glass. "You thirsty?" he asked as he walked to his right, towards the fridge.

"There’s no time to waste," Mao Mao said, coming down from his elated mood. "And, uh, water, please."

Orangusnake stuck the glass under the freezer's water dispenser and filled it up. "Go ahead and take a seat. Make yourself at home."

"I'll stand for now."

"Would it kill you to relax?" Orangusnake handed the glass of water to Mao Mao.

"Around you? It might." Mao Mao grabbed the glass with both paws. "Thanks."

Orangusnake rolled his eyes. "There's not a whole lot we can do until Hoss comes back from the wreckage with a shopping list." He returned to his spot at the counter, this time leaning against it with his behind. "Your badger friend is taking _his_ time."

"That's because if you want him, you'll have to go through me."

Orangusnake leaned his head forward and narrowed his eyes as he spoke. "Oh, I'm _more_ than a match for you."

Mao Mao grinned as an old memory resurfaced. "Hm. Maybe." He took a few sips of his water.

Orangusnake scratched the back of his head. "Y'know I figured you'd be a lot more… hostile."

Realizing his slip-up, Mao Mao lowered his glass. “Just remembering one of the many times I kicked your butt.”

"My mistake,” Orangusnake said flatly. “Must be weird, teaming up with your sworn enemies."

"I don't have a choice." Mao Mao paused. "Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but… why did you agree to help us?"

Orangusnake took a sip of his orange juice before speaking. "You said something… interesting yesterday. So I called Rufus.”

Mao Mao inhaled sharply through his teeth. “He wasn’t happy, was he?” 

“Between his bouts of wailing and apologizing, I managed to get some answers out of him. Turns out, you might know more than Rufus does.”

“Oh?” Mao Mao’s curiosity was piqued. “And how would you know that? Unless…”

“Well, if you had just guessed our names correctly I might have dismissed it as a coincidence. But then you had to go and mention a certain ruby."

"The Ruby Pure Heart," Mao Mao confirmed.

"Exactly. Knowledge of such an artifact is not easy to come by. I should know… we had just come back from a raid with that info. We were almost home free when that stupid dragon attacked." Orangusnake took a deep breath. "And let's just say I don't think you could have gotten there first.”

"I see."

Orangusnake cleared his throat. “Though I loathe to ally myself with a hero such as yourself, it appears there was a semblance of truth in your rantings."

Mao Mao let out a short laugh. Not one of endearment, he told himself, but more of a simple acknowledgement.

Regardless, Orangusnake smiled at the positive reception. "Given all that, I figured maybe there's more to this world than meets the eye. I wanted in, and here we are." His expression lowered slightly. “Besides, I owe you for taking care of that dragon. Even if it’s all in my head like you said, you avenged my fallen crew and that means something to me.”

“Get us to Pure Heart Valley, and I’ll consider that debt repaid.”

Orangusnake smiled again. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

The lull in the conversation created an odd vibe. The silence wasn't exactly awkward, but Mao Mao couldn't help trying to fill it. He didn’t want to engage in idle chatter with this villain, but he needed an outlet for his curiosity. "So, uh, you knew who we were?"

Orangusnake raised an eyebrow before realizing what Mao Mao was referring to. "Oh, yes. Know your enemy and all that."

Mao Mao nodded. "Right, right." He looked away and took a sip of his water.

“You kicked our butts every week?”

Mao Mao returned his gaze to Orangusnake and nodded. “Yeah.”

“Really?”

“Sometimes our five-year-old apprentice took you all on by herself.”

“Pfft. No way,” Orangusnake waved a hand dismissively.

“Oh no, it’s true,” Mao Mao assured the villain with a grin. “She’s the reason your airship got stuck in Pure Heart Valley to begin with. Pathetic, really.”

“And that’s the life I’m supposed to be living?”

Mao Mao’s face returned to its normal, more serious expression. “I wouldn’t be fighting so hard if it wasn’t.”

Orangusnake nodded in concession. "I suppose not."

Silence fell once again as Mao Mao and Orangusnake tried thinking of something to say. The sound of a door opening upstairs snapped Mao Mao's attention away from the kitchen. The floorboards above them creaked under the weight of a certain badger’s footsteps. The sounds traveled to the top of the stairs, and their descent was accompanied by Badgerclops' appearance.

"'Sup?" Badgerclops asked as he rounded the corner into the kitchen.

"Oh, not much," Mao Mao answered.

"Cool, cuz I could use a sandwich." Badgerclops rubbed circles over his stomach.

With a grin, Orangusnake held his right arm out towards the fridge and bowed. "Help yourself."

“Now _this_ is hospitality!” Badgerclops eagerly raided the fridge.

"Don't be shy, Mao Mao," Orangusnake said. "You both are our guests, and you'll be treated as such."

As if on cue, Mao Mao’s stoic expression was betrayed by the audible rumbling of his stomach. He locked eyes with Orangusnake, whose grin quickly transformed into a smirk. He sighed and waited for his turn at the fridge. 

* * *

The following day was all about preparation for the task ahead. Boss Hosstrich had finished comparing the wreckage to the ship’s blueprints and put together a list of everything they would need to get the ship in the air again. Badgerclops and Ramaraffe were tasked with retrieving any and all necessary materials with the help of Rufus and Reggie. Mao Mao was still feeling the effects of his battle with the spectral dragon, so Badgerclops convinced him to stay with Orangusnake.

Orangusnake called Rufus with a mobile flip phone from the kitchen and discussed the specifics of what they’d need. Mao Mao stood across from Orangusnake and insisted on being included in the conversation, so the villain activated speaker mode and allowed the hero to interject when necessary. There was a brief discussion about the possibility of simply taking another ship, but Orangusnake made the argument that Mao Mao and Badgerclops’ efforts, along with the sacrifices of his fallen crew, would have been for nothing if the plan was to ultimately steal a new ship.

Orangusnake groaned into the phone. “We wouldn’t even need to rebuild the airship if that stupid dragon didn’t eat half of it. What kind of monster eats metal anyway?”

“The kind that has scales capable of perfectly refracting light to turn itself invisible, I guess,” Badgerclops said through the phone’s speaker. He was in a hardware store, securing some of the tools they needed with Ramaraffe, Rufus, and Reggie. The cell phone he held was also on speaker mode, allowing Orangusnake’s voice to reach the badger’s three accomplices.

“Hey boss,” Ramaraffe said, “these guys were right. There’s no one here!”

“Very good. Be sure to grab as much as you can carry.”

“Ah, you need not worry about that,” Rufus said. “We’ve supplied a pair of hovertrucks capable of moving all essential materials. Just activate the GPS signal in your house and we’ll start making the necessary trips.”

Mao Mao folded his arms. “That would have been a nice alternative to navigating the forest."

"Say, Mao Mao, do you remember how you came to be in the company of the Sky Pirates?” Rufus asked without missing a beat. "My memory is a bit fuzzy, but I seem to recall you threatening to 'stain the wall behind me' when last we talked."

Rufus couldn’t see Mao Mao shrink, but the small “hmph” that the hero made as he turned away from the receiver was enough of a response to confirm he’d made his point.

"With that out of the way," Rufus continued, "let me know if you run into any trouble activating the signal. I'll call you back if we finish before you set it up."

"You got it. Over and out," Orangusnake said before ending the call. He looked at Mao Mao. "Hey, are you sure you're, like, _cool_ with all this stealing?"

"I've learned that sometimes, you have to break a few rules in order to protect what matters most. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to save Pure Heart Valley."

Orangusnake grew a devious grin. "I like that answer!"

"This isn't gonna be a problem, is it? I'm not giving you a free pass to become a villain again."

"Unfortunately, I am honorbound until we touch down in Pure Heart Valley. After that, well…"

Mao Mao growled at Orangusnake.

"… You'll just have to trust me." Orangusnake kept his grin as he passed Mao Mao.

Mao Mao watched Orangusnake leave the room. _Whatever. If I've got his loyalty until we reach Pure Heart Valley, that's enough for me. If he tries anything after that, it’ll be business as usual for the sheriff's department._

Throughout the day, Rufus and Reggie dropped off truckload after truckload of supplies to the area surrounding the airship. The trucks were large enough to fit an entire house's worth of furniture inside them. Mao Mao intended to help unload the cargo, but his muscles proved too sore for such a strenuous task. Orangusnake and Boss Hosstrich ended up doing most of the work.

Later that evening, everyone—Mao Mao, Badgerclops, Rufus, Reggie, and the Sky Pirates—sat at the modest, rectangular dining room table for dinner. Mao Mao sat at one end of the table with Badgerclops, Rufus, and Reggie to his left. To his right were Ramaraffe, Boss Hosstrich, and Ratarang. Personal space was in short supply as the table was not intended to seat so many occupants, but Orangusnake forbade eating on a bed or any other type of sofa.

Knowing what he knew about the Sky Pirates’ diet, they’d think they were in heaven if Mao Mao offered them the feast before his eyes. A large turkey in the middle of the table, a dish for the canned cranberry sauce, pots of vegetables, containers of mashed potatoes, and several bowls of macaroni and cheese.

“I wanted to cook us something special,” Orangusnake said as he took his seat at the end of the table opposite Mao Mao, “to commemorate the formation of this wonderful team we’ve put together.”

Mao Mao stared at the villain. “Don’t forget that we’re here to discuss strategy.”

“Dude.” Badgerclops held a spoon to Mao Mao’s face. “… Shut up.” He then stuck the spoon into a bowl of macaroni and started shovelling it onto his plate.

“I’m sure we all have the capacity to talk and dine at the same time,” Rufus said, eyeing the turkey.

“Of course.” Orangusnake threw his arms into the air. “Dig in, everyone!”

The table erupted into chaos as six of its eight occupants rushed to be the first one to grab their desired foodstuff. Orangusnake waited out of respect for his guests, while Mao Mao waited out of suppressed frustration. It took several minutes for those six to finish passing everything around.

Mao Mao and Orangusnake filled their plates as chatter about the taste of the food filled them with confidence. The hero was the one to spark what he considered a proper conversation. “So Rufus, Reggie. Do you both have a handle on the situation at large?”

Reggie swallowed a mouthful of turkey before speaking. “Sure do! Thanks for the crash course earlier, Mao Mao.”

“I concur,” Rufus said. “Though I had a hard time believing you, it seems you’ve earned the trust of the Sky Pirates. If the situation is as bad as it sounds, then getting to Pure Heart Valley as soon as possible is our number one priority.”

Mao Mao nodded, satisfied with that answer. “Good. Since we’re all on the same page, it’s time we devised a plan.”

“Don’t we already have one?” Badgerclops asked with his mouth full.

“Not for the airship, for Pure Heart Valley,” Mao Mao clarified. “We can’t just fly by the seat of our pants.”

“But, none of us wear pants,” Reggie said.

“Exactly! We have no seats to fly by, which means we need a plan.”

“Mao Mao is right,” Orangusnake interjected. “We’ll have plenty of time for revision, but we all need to be on board for the mission ahead.”

“Thank you… Orangusnake…” Mao Mao forced himself to say. "Let's start with what we'll do once we arrive in Pure Heart Valley."

"From what you told us," Rufus said, "the king should be our first stop, yes?"

"I was thinkin' the same thing," Boss Hosstrich agreed. "Normally I'd be all for a good, ol' fashioned beat down, but I reckon this situation is mighty delicate."

Rufus nodded. "If the king is really at the center of all this, getting on his good side would make things much easier."

Mao Mao brought a hand to his chin. "Hmm. If I was still sheriff an audience with the king wouldn’t be an issue, but I’m probably just a stranger to him now. This may be the more difficult option, but I think you're both right. Once we overcome that hurdle, all of the answers we could ask for would be right in front of us."

"And if we fail on that front…?" Orangusnake asked.

"Then…" Mao Mao sighed. "If he won't give us the answers we need, then we'll have to take them."

Orangusnake rubbed his hands together. "I bet you know all kinds of secret entrances to the castle."

"And if I left you behind, you'd never get to see any of them."

"Hmph," Orangusnake took a bite out of a turkey leg.

"But you do have a point. Sneaking into the castle would be the next best option."

Ramaraffe raised a hoof.

“You don’t have to ask permission to speak, Ramaraffe,” Mao Mao said.

"But we can beat people up if we get caught, right?”

"I'm not sure that's a good idea. I'd like to cause as little damage to the castle and my reputation as possible," Mao Mao explained.

"Even still, you can't deny the possibility that something can go wrong," Rufus spoke up. "We may have to fight our way out—possibly our way in, as well. There’s also the possibility that, even with the boon that is your memory, the castle’s layout may be different."

"Now I say that's a fair point," Boss Hosstrich said. "Sneakin' may be your preferred option, but a backup plan wouldn’t hurt none."

Mao Mao thought to himself, mulling over the conundrum in his head.

"Well, we don't have to iron out the specifics now," Orangusnake opined. "Regardless of the method, what should we do once we know how to fix this mess?"

"I…" In truth, Mao Mao hadn't thought that far ahead. "I suppose that depends on what we find out."

"Fair enough," Orangusnake agreed.

"And, if I'm being honest, I'm not sure we _can_ fix everything. We may find out there's nothing we can do."

"Don't be like that," Badgerclops told Mao Mao. "With all of us putting our heads together, we're bound to come up with something."

"Well said, Badgerclops!" Orangusnake declared.

Mao Mao smiled at Badgerclops. "Thanks," he muttered.

"Let us raise a toast!" Orangusnake held his glass up high. "To the start of new, beautiful friendships! To us!"

Everyone at the table was in high spirits thanks to Orangusnake’s positivity. Even Mao Mao joined in on the toast. "To us!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hekmugi is such a godsend. Thanks again, dude! I've enjoyed giving Badgerclops the spotlight these past couple of chapters. Now, we're gonna spend some time with Rufus, Reggie, and the Sky Pirates.
> 
> Comments? Criticisms? The box below is the place for them!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks, Hekmugi, for beta-reading this chapter! Enjoy, everyone!

"Do I have to wear this?" Mao Mao asked from inside the downstairs bathroom.

"Your cape is a safety hazard, especially around the heavy equipment," Badgerclops explained from the other side of the door. "Come on, even Orangusnake is wearing some khaki shorts."

"These are _not_ shorts," Mao Mao retorted.

"They're better! Now get out here so we can start building the airship."

Mao Mao slowly opened the bathroom door, revealing the attire he was complaining about. Covering his torso was the red, plaid jacket Badgerclops spotted at the camping store. The flannel looked thick but it breathed well, making it suitable for spring weather. The lower half of his body was covered by a pair of faded blue jeans that were slightly distressed over the left knee. The jeans' waistline rested in the crease under Mao Mao's tail.

"I knew you’d look great," Badgerclops said with a smile.

Mao Mao folded his arms and looked to the side, blushing. "Let’s just go.”

With Mao Mao’s wardrobe issues out of the way, he and Badgerclops joined the rest of the gang and began the effort to rebuild the airship. The undertaking was monumental; building half of an airship was no walk in the park, even with everyone giving it their all. Like all great plans, however, the grueling task before them would be completed in parts.

The first step was setting up the workspace, which included crafting a base for the ship to rest on during its reconstruction. Since half of the airship was still intact, Badgerclops suggested making a base that fit the form they wanted the ship to have. Using the ship’s blueprints as a reference, Badgerclops designed a base composed of two parallel tracks of vertical wooden slabs. Rufus, Reggie, Boss Hosstrich, and Ratarang, while being supervised by Badgerclops, spent the morning marking and subsequently cutting the slabs to fit whatever part of the ship they were supposed to rest under. The next step was transporting the slabs to the construction site.

The piles of wood were only a few meters from the rails, but because of the airship’s planned size there was a large number of slabs to transport. The task of moving materials to the crafting area was shared by two teams: one of Badgerclops and Orangusnake, the other of Mao Mao and Ramaraffe. As much as Mao Mao wanted to keep a close eye on Orangusnake, there was too much of a strength difference between them to cooperate effectively. The teams were assigned one rail each and were to bring the wood to their designated track only, placing the slabs next to where they would be installed.

Mao Mao and Ramaraffe picked up their second slab of wood. Mao Mao led them, walking backwards and trusting Ramaraffe to correct him if he started going off course. As the duo began their second trip, Orangusnake and Badgerclops were finishing their third.

On his way back to the stacks of wood, Orangusnake stopped and smirked at Mao Mao. “What’s the matter, Mao Mao?” he mocked. “With all the time you’ve spent with Badgerclops, I figured you’d be better at handling wood.”

Badgerclops giggled. “Nice one.”

Mao Mao growled as Orangusnake walked away laughing. His face burned with a mix of anger and embarrassment. “Ramaraffe?”

“That’s my name!” Ramaraffe exclaimed happily.

Mao Mao made eye contact with Ramaraffe around the wooden slab. “Think we can pick up the pace?”

Ramaraffe looked to the sky as she thought of her answer. “But, Badgerclops said to take it easy since you might still be sore.”

“Ha!” Mao Mao smiled. “Don’t worry about me. A hero _never_ backs down from a challenge.”

Mao Mao turned himself around, holding his arms behind his back. He seized control of the unit, and by his powerful thighs he would make sure Orangusnake ate his dust. He and Ramaraffe shifted into maximum overdrive as they rushed to be the winners of this race only they were participating in. Mao Mao’s triceps burned and his knees ached, but he maintained his pace. Ramaraffe easily kept up, even encouraging Mao Mao to speed up at times. While Badgerclops and Orangusnake were busy taking their time and having fun conversations, Mao Mao and Ramaraffe excelled in silence.

With the last slab of wood in place, Mao Mao and Ramaraffe finished their job. Mao Mao quickly unbuttoned his shirt all the way, revealing a white tank top underneath. The hero used what little energy remained to catch his breath with his hands on his knees.

Not one minute later, Badgerclops and Orangusnake finished their job as well. The two of them chatted as they made their way over to Mao Mao and Ramaraffe. Badgerclops wiped the sweat off of his forehead. "Whew! That was a workout."

"Thanks for the help, Badgerclops,” Orangusnake said. “You're a lot stronger than you look."

Badgerclops scratched the back of his head and smiled bashfully. "Yeah, I used to be pretty jacked."

"I wonder why _that_ changed," Orangusnake playfully smacked Mao Mao's back, "eh, Mao Mao?" He laughed assuming Mao Mao was also in on the fun.

Mao Mao nearly fell over from the force of the blow. He stumbled forward and managed to stop himself from hitting the ground, but only just. He growled with his back to Orangusnake, the vibrations barely concealed.

Orangusnake picked up on Mao Mao’s rage and realized what he did, causing the immediate cessation of his laughter. “Oh, sorry, Mao Mao,” he apologized sincerely. “I didn’t realize I hit you that hard.”

Mao Mao hated that Orangusnake apologized. He wanted to stay mad, justify his anger. Without anything keeping him in that state of irritation, he was forced to reciprocate the villain's goodwill. "Don't worry about it," he sighed. He stood up straight and faced Orangusnake. "You didn't mean to."

Orangusnake grew a devious grin, similar to the one Mao Mao saw the day before. "Oh? And what if I _did_?"

Mao Mao took a step forward, lowering his head slightly while increasing the intensity of his glare. His tail stiffened into a straight line that stood near parallel to his back. "Wanna find out?"

"Maybe some other time," Orangusnake said as he leaned backward slightly and shrugged.

"Scared?" Mao Mao asked, taking another step forward so that he was less than a meter away from the villain.

"As a matter of fact, I am." Orangusnake swiftly leaned forward and narrowed his eyes. "Scared you'll hurt yourself," he hissed with a smirk. "Wouldn't want the fight to be unfair, after all."

"Believe me, you'll need the handicap." Mao Mao growled as he stared into Orangusnake's unflinching countenance.

Orangusnake exhaled sharply from his nose as his grin temporarily widened. He straightened his posture, then took a couple steps to Mao Mao's right. "Maybe we'll see." He turned his back on the hero and made his way back to the house.

As Mao Mao watched Orangusnake leave, he felt his mouth grow a grin of its own.

* * *

Construction of the ship proper was well underway. The framework was complete, and Badgerclops successfully sorted out the guts of the ship including pipes and wires. The first stage of construction was complete and it was time to move on to the next phase: the ship’s walls. With Badgerclops and Ratarang as overseers, the other seven members of the group were split into three teams of two and assigned one part of the ship at a time. Some were tasked with simply attaching metal plates to the ship's skeleton while others installed sliding doors and other mechanisms. These assignments would be switched up as the groups moved around the ship.

Mao Mao and Orangusnake were paired together to work on a hallway on the starboard side of the ship. After installing a hatch leading outside, the duo got to work lining the area with sheets of metal. Their first task was plating the floor in order to ensure a solid foundation. Thin sheets of wood were placed as a temporary floor until their work was done.

The floor's area was divided between Mao Mao and Orangusnake into halves going longways. They both started at the same end of the hallway and removed their first sheet of wood at the same time. Their eyes met as they both took notice of this. A wordless conversation was carried out in their gazes and punctuated by grins on both parties.

What should have been a simple job was turned into another competition. Mao Mao and Orangusnake picked up their paces while making sure they were still doing the job correctly. There was no doubt that Mao Mao was the faster and more agile of the two; however, Orangusnake's large frame meant he needed comparatively smaller movements to cover the same ground. Playing to their respective strengths, the hero and villain raced against each other. Their paces seemed in sync, both of them neck and neck, until one of them reached the end of the floor first.

“Done!” Orangusnake shouted.

Mao Mao flinched at the sudden outburst. He was just about to screw on the last bolt when Orangusnake announced his apparent victory.

“Badgerclops!” Orangusnake shouted.

“You called?” Badgerclops suddenly appeared just outside the hatch, dangling in mid air with his grappling hook attached to a higher part of the ship. He held a clipboard and pencil in his right hand.

Orangusnake yelped in surprise but quickly recovered. “Would you mind checking the work I’ve done? Just to make sure it’s perfect?” He leaned towards Mao Mao as he spoke that last word.

Badgerclops swung onto the floor and inspected Orangusnake’s side of the hallway, testing the villain's ability to hold simple power tools and use them as intended. When he finished his examination, he nodded. "Looks good to me."

"Yes!" Orangusnake cheered, reveling in his victory.

Mao Mao sighed. He tapped his fist against his forehead as he squatted in place.

“Looks like the score’s one-to-one.”

Mao Mao looked up to see Orangusnake offering a hand while smiling down at him. Not a grin, not a smirk, but a genuine smile. He smiled back and let Orangusnake help him stand up.

"Mao Mao, you finish up here," Badgerclops ordered while jotting something down on his clipboard. "Orangusnake, go get what you two need for plating the walls."

Orangusnake saluted Badgerclops and dropped to the ground from the hatch.

Badgerclops looked up from his clipboard. "Finally playing nice?" he teased.

Mao Mao’s head snapped to Badgerclops’ direction, only for him to look away in embarrassment. “Uh… yeah.”

"Awww, look at you. You're making friends!"

"Quiet."

Badgerclops put his right arm around Mao Mao’s shoulders. "You're happy."

Mao Mao tried to struggle but Badgerclops' grip was too strong. With a huff, he gave up. "Silence."

"Things are looking up, huh?"

After a brief pause, Mao Mao sighed. "Yeah." He leaned into Badgerclops' side as the prospect of returning to Pure Heart Valley became more and more real.

* * *

As progress on the ship approached completion, so too did the temperature approach its peak. No one could tell if it was spring or summer anymore, but they couldn’t let the heat get to them. Even with the Infinite Forest providing a layer of protection in the form of its canopy, heroes and villains alike were put to the test under these intense circumstances. One such villain emerged from his log cabin early one morning, only to be greeted by a wall of humidity.

“Hoo boy!” Orangusnake wiped the sweat from his face then moved his fists to his hips. “Is it getting hotter out here or is it just me?” he asked no one in particular. He shrugged. “Oh, who am I kidding? It’s both!”

"I don't suppose you want to cool off?" Mao Mao asked from behind the villain.

Orangusnake turned around as he spoke. "Why I'd love t—" He should have made eye contact with Mao Mao, but he gasped as his vision was obscured by a torrent of cold water.

Mao Mao grinned as he held the garden hose in his hands, directing the stream of freezing cold water towards the villain’s position. He watched Orangusnake dance in place in a desperate attempt to escape the water, the blinded and disoriented snake unable to tell left from right.

The forest was quickly filled with Orangusnake’s screams. The villain begged Mao Mao to stop, but the hero's assault was relentless and unforgiving. After nearly a minute of this abuse, Mao Mao released his grip on the nozzle and ceased the torture.

Orangusake stood hunched over, soaked from head to toe. He stared at Mao Mao with a flat, displeased gaze.

Mao Mao brought a hand to his chin, humming a note as he judged Orangusnake. "As far as wet T-shirts go, I'd give you a 6 out of 10," he decided.

"6?" Orangusnake asked, sounding genuinely offended.

“Considering your chest is down where your abdomen should be, yes.”

"That shouldn’t matter!" Orangusnake pointed an accusing finger at Mao Mao. "I'm at least an 8 and you know it!"

"Badgerclops is an 8."

Orangusnake held his arms out at his sides. “Well then, who's a 9?"

"The king. You'll know why when we meet him."

Orangusnake leaned back and groaned in frustration. "I can't imagine who's a 10."

Mao Mao smiled. “It’s me.”

“Are you kidding?” Orangusnake asked incredulously. He was about to follow that question up with something else, but he stopped himself and wiped his face with a hand. “No, no, that’s on me. I shouldn’t have expected anything else.”

Mao Mao looked satisfied with himself for a moment but that quickly faded as he, too, suddenly became drenched in cold water. He jumped high in the air and gasped loudly as soon as the bucket of water doused him, causing his vision to be obscured by the metal pail.

Badgerclops cackled as he watched his friend soar through the air, the feline’s head stuck in the bucket he had just deployed. There were two towels draped over his left shoulder and he had to use a hand to keep them from falling while he was doubled over with laughter.

Mao Mao returned to the earth quickly, but not before he landed head-first on Orangusnake’s own head. The two fell on their backs and groaned as they watched stars spin around their heads.

“All right, on your feet, ladies,” Badgerclops commanded, only half annoyed. “We’re in the home stretch, but we’ve still got a lot of work to do.”

Both the hero and villain shook their heads wildly, freeing themselves from their stupors. Mao Mao removed the bucket from his head and threw it to the side. “Yes sir,” they conceded in unison as they stood up.

“Uh oh,” Badgerclops said as he held a hand to his mouth, “you guys have dirt all over your backs.”

Mao Mao and Orangusnake simultaneously checked their backsides to confirm that Badgerclops was telling the truth.

Boss Hosstrich arrived on the scene and stood to Badgerclops’ right. “I suppose there’s only one thing to do.” He smirked with intent as he held the hose’s nozzle in one hand and a glass of lemonade in the other.

Before either Mao Mao or Orangusnake could object, they were both blasted with another round of cold water.

* * *

The moment everyone was waiting for was so close to them now. Badgerclops and Orangusnake stood shoulder to shoulder in the airship’s helm, an enclosed room underneath the deck accessed via the skull-adorned dome near the bow. It was time to power the ship on.

Badgerclops stared at the dead screen that sat at eye level. His eyes rolled over the command console below, an intricate puzzle of various buttons and levers sitting on a raised panel. Nothing was labelled, so Badgerclops needed one of the Sky Pirates to operate the ship. He looked at the villain standing to his left. “Ready?” he asked.

Orangusnake nodded. With a deep breath, he placed an ordinary car key into the ignition slot on the side of the podium. The entire ship shook violently for a moment before settling on a softer vibration as it came to life. The buttons on the console lit up all at once, and the monitor displayed a purple radar circle over a blue background.

“Startup was a success,” Badgerclops concluded. “Next, we’ll run some tests.”

Orangusnake wiggled his fingers over the control panel. He pressed a particular button and the monitor produced an image of the area in front of the ship. “Let’s start with weapons,” Orangusnake suggested.

Badgerclops raised an eyebrow at the villain.

Orangusnake shrugged. “They’re important.”

With a sigh, Badgerclops allowed Orangusnake to fire off a volley of lasers into the surrounding area. The purple beams pierced the nearby trees and caused several to fall to the ground.

"Success!" Orangusnake cheered.

“Upward thrusters,” Badgerclops commanded with his arms crossed.

Orangusnake flinched from the unexpected curtness of Badgerclops’ voice. Without looking at the badger, he continued to follow the orders he was given. Orangusnake frequently moved from camera to camera as he made sure to get the correct angle on the system he was testing. Badgerclops couldn’t deny he was getting a sense of smug satisfaction from putting one of the most feared villains in the world in his place.

After several rounds of meticulous and thorough testing, Badgerclops and Orangusnake finished their job. They emerged from the cabin and leaned over the starboard side of the deck. Below them were the other six members of the group staring up at them, waiting for news on the ship's status. From the top of their lungs, Badgerclops and Orangusnake let out a bellowing, triumphant cry. Badgerclops threw his arms into the air, while Orangusnake stamped his feet and spun in place. Everyone on the ground responded in kind.

The airship was finally finished.

The front half was left intact for the most part, which meant essential features such as the engine and myriad laser cannons did not need to be built from scratch. The back half left something to be desired visually, but it worked exactly as it should have. Most of the reconstructed portion looked similar to the old airship model, albeit a bit misshapen in places, but the very back of the stern was remodelled completely in order to fit some new thrusters. Rather than three downwards thrusters, there were two horizontal ones meant to significantly improve sailing speed. The bottom of the ship was remodeled to be more akin to an airplane’s, complete with proper landing gear.

For ease of disembarking at docks, retractable ramps had been installed on either side of the ship. Flanking these ramps were secondary ladders for a hasty dismount on dry land. Climbing down one of said ladders, Badgerclops made his way to the ground and ran up to Mao Mao with his arms spread wide. Mao Mao tried backing up but it was too late. Badgerclops lifted his friend off the ground in a tight embrace. Mao Mao kicked his legs helplessly in the air as he struggled against the vice he was trapped in.

"That's the spirit, Badgerclops," Orangusnake said as he dismounted his ladder. "With the airship finally complete, there's nothing standing between us and Pure Heart Valley!"

Everyone clapped, proud of their accomplishment.

"This calls for a celebration!" Orangusnake hopped in the air and clicked his heels together. "There's a giant cake with all of our names on it waiting for us!"

The group ran back towards the log cabin, the promise of sweets too strong to resist. Nobody had eaten dinner yet as it was still mid-afternoon, but Orangusnake decided the completion of the airship was cause for an exception. The dessert in question was a strawberry-filled double-layer vanilla sheet cake. The buttercream frosting was colored orange with a yellow honeycomb pattern, reminiscent of the airship’s old design.

Mao Mao made sure everyone else got a slice before Badgerclops got to the cake. There was plenty to go around, but that wouldn’t have stopped Badgerclops from trying to eat the whole thing. Once the last slice was plated, Badgerclops took what remained and inhaled it without ceremony.

Orangusnake made plans to cook a big breakfast for the group before setting sail to make up for not preparing a dinner of similar scale. Supper was a rather ordinary meal of steak, potatoes, and green beans, but its simplicity belied its flavor. It was the night before the big trip, so once everyone ate their fill they made sure to get some well-deserved rest.

After wishing the others a good night, Mao Mao turned the living room light off and climbed into the pull-out bed with Badgerclops. They settled in under the covers and scooted close to each other. Mao Mao was perfectly content with laying on his back and staring up at the ceiling, but Badgerclops had different plans. The badger snuggled up close to Mao Mao’s left side, drowning the feline in his fur. Mao Mao sighed and accepted his fate.

“You used to hate it when I did this,” Badgerclops teased.

“I still do,” Mao Mao asserted, his face moving closer to Badgerclops’ chest.

“Then why are you leaning into me?” Badgerclops pressed.

Mao Mao thought carefully about his answer. “You get one.”

Badgerclops moved his left arm to lightly hold Mao Mao’s right shoulder. "Good night, Mao Mao."

Mao Mao turned his body to the left and buried his face in Badgerclops’ chest. Though his smile refused to fade, he closed his eyes and hoped his dreams wouldn’t take him too far from where he was. "Good night, Badgerclops."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember when I said we’d spend time with “Rufus, Reggie, and the Sky Pirates”? Sorry, a lot of it ended up being about Orangusnake. I like the guy, what can I say? In any case, next stop: Pure Heart Valley! As always, thanks again to Hekmugi who took precious time out of his day for me and my fic.
> 
> Comments? Criticisms? Both welcome!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The wonderful Hekmugi helped make this chapter as perfect as possible! Enjoy!

Mao Mao awoke in a daze, confused and disoriented. The massive, soft arms wrapped around him brought some comfort as he tried to get his bearings. He removed his face from Badgerclops’ chest and looked up at the ceiling. From where he was laying, the room looked dark and the house was silent.

_ What time is it? _ Mao Mao asked himself internally. As safe as he felt in his castle of fur, his curiosity got the better of him. He lifted Badgerclops’ left arm off of himself and rolled out of his friend’s unconscious grip. He exhaled with his success then scooted his way to the edge of the bed. The digital clock on the nightstand displayed the time “03:47” in glowing red text.  _ We’re not supposed to be awake for another three hours, _ he thought as he sighed.

Tiny, silent cat feet hit the floor as Mao Mao hopped off the bed. He snuck his way around the sleeping badger and made his way to the bathroom. After relieving himself, he carefully made his way back to his spot. As soon as the bed depressed under his weight, he heard Badgerclops begin to stir.

“Mao Mao?” Badgerclops asked in a low, lethargic voice.

“Sorry, I had to go to the bathroom,” Mao Mao whispered as he scurried back into his friend’s arms. He relaxed and leaned into Badgerclops’ chest as he felt himself become wrapped in the badger’s gentle embrace.

“What’s wrong?”

“Hmm?”

“You only ever wake up like this after a bad dream. Either that or you were already awake and just pretending to sleep. So which is it?”

Mao Mao smiled. “It’s that easy, huh?” He sighed. “I had a dream, but it wasn’t a bad one. Still, it got me thinking.”

“About…?”

“About what’s gonna happen to us when this is all over. Not just our bodies but our minds, and… our feelings.”

Badgerclops gently stroked the back of Mao Mao’s head. “I don’t think you need to worry about that.”

“Yeah?”

“They haven’t changed since all this started. No matter what happens, we’ll be all right.”

Mao Mao wasn’t expecting to hear such comforting words from his heavy-eyed friend, but they brought him the peace he was looking for. “Thanks, Badgerclops.”

Badgerclops left two final pats on Mao Mao’s head before his body visibly relaxed into the mattress beneath him. His snoring started mere seconds later, his large belly pushing into Mao Mao’s legs.

Despite his more relaxed mental state, Mao Mao found more comfort in Badgerclops' embrace than sleep. He used that justification to lie awake for the remainder of the night and enjoy the warmth he had grown so accustomed to.

* * *

Soon enough, it was the morning of the voyage. Mao Mao waited patiently for Badgerclops and all of the Sky Pirates to wake up. Though he secretly enjoyed the flannel jacket, Mao Mao was more than happy to be in his hero clothes once again. Rufus and Reggie showed up just in time for breakfast.

Orangusnake wasn’t kidding when he said he would go all out; each seat at the table was faced with a plate of waffles, eggs, and sausages along with a smaller companion plate. The waffles were stacked five high with a slice of butter on top. The three eggs on each plate were cooked sunny-side-up and sprinkled with pepper. Four small breakfast sausages filled the last of the empty space on the plate. On the side plates was a helping of hash browns burnt to perfection. At the center of it all were four bottles of different syrup flavors arranged in a square.

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” Orangusnake reminded everyone. “Make sure you all eat your fill before we set sail.”

Since the plates were already set, the table was much less chaotic than their first meal together. There was a squabble or two over who got to use the syrup first, but once an order was established the meal went smoothly. Excitement was reaching a fever pitch as everyone speculated what might lie ahead. Rufus hoped he and Reggie wouldn't have to live in the sewers like Mao Mao said they did. Orangusnake wanted to stop hiding and return to society, though Mao Mao couldn't forget the level of villain the snake was. The other Sky Pirates wished that their crimes could be forgiven, as they'd come to enjoy their comfy domestic lifestyle. Badgerclops and Mao Mao wanted nothing more than to return home.

With breakfast out of the way, nobody wasted any time in their final preparations. The house was abuzz with shouts of list-checking and commands of box-moving. All of the food they could want was stocked, the map detailing Pure Heart Valley's location was on display in the ship’s helm, and plenty of board and card games were prepared for the voyage ahead. Once everything was ready, Orangusnake told the others to head to the ship while he got one last thing ready.

With mere minutes until departure, nearly everyone was gathered on the deck of the airship. Rufus and Reggie chatted with Ramaraffe while Ratarang and Boss Hosstrich sat on the airship’s starboard side. Mao Mao and Badgerclops stood on the deck of the ship, staring out at the makeshift runway that the ship's crash landing created. Although the airship would likely rise straight up rather than travel down the runway, it was an option nonetheless.

Mao Mao took a deep breath, his fists balled against his hips.

"You good, man?" Badgerclops asked with a grin. "You're kinda vibrating."

It was true; Mao Mao was visibly shaking with excitement. "We’re almost there, Badgerclops. Those illegal nitro boosters you installed will get us to Pure Heart Valley before sundown.” He continued to bounce in place, chattering about how excited he was while Badgerclops watched on with an amused smile.

“Greetings, ladies and gentlemen,” a voice called to them from behind.

Everyone turned towards the voice, facing the source of the noise. He walked to the center of the deck before turning towards the crew, making a beeline towards them. His shadow preceded him, cast by the morning sun that blazed from high above. His front was obscured in a silhouette, save for a blazing, amber glare. The Sky Pirates exchanged looks, mouths agape. Rufus drew his arms to his chest as Reggie latched onto the fox's leg. Mao Mao and Badgerclops glanced at each other, the badger giving an approving nod as the feline smirked.

His commanding presence alone was enough to make the group—Mao Mao included—step aside as he passed. He continued to walk, eyes forward and hands clasped together behind him, until he stood before the entrance to the helm. Stopping there, he glanced over his shoulder. The deck was quiet, everyone giving the fearsome commander their full attention.

"Your captain..." he turned, billowing his cape to his side, "... has arrived."

Mao Mao grinned and folded his arms. “Now there’s the Orangusnake I know.”

Orangusnake was finally donning his classic Sky Pirate armor. The pink metal chestplate reflected a small portion of the sun’s light, the purple cape flapped in the gentle breeze, and somehow—perhaps due to the rigid nature of his armor—he stood just a bit taller than usual.

“It’s been a while since I’ve worn this,” Orangusnake said, looking down at himself, “but what kind of captain would I be if I led my crew in a T-shirt?”

“A brave one, that’s for sure,” Mao Mao joked.

Orangusnake smiled, then quickly returned his face to its more threatening expression. He scanned the crowd before him, gauging morale before speaking further. “Before we set out, let me make one thing clear…” Once more did his eyes move from one end of the line to the other. “... I am eternally grateful for all that you’ve done.”

The praise was well received, with elbows being bumped and shoulders becoming shelves for arms. Badgerclops was guilty of the latter, but Mao Mao didn’t mind this time.

“I never thought this day would come. Thanks to all of you, the flame of adventure I thought but a flicker has exploded into a wildfire. You’ve all given me hope for the future.” Orangusnake put his left fist on his chest. “It fills me with great joy to know that I’ll be taking to the skies once more—even if it is but once more.” He took a deep breath, then opened his palm towards Mao Mao. “But this isn’t just about me. You all have a stake in this.” He began pacing up and down the line. “I know not what awaits us in Pure Heart Valley, nor do I know how this journey will end. I know not what will become of us, of the Valley, of the world. And yet…”

He stopped in front of Mao Mao and Badgerclops. “Despite our differences...”

He looked to the other Sky Pirates, “Despite the hardships we’ve endured...”

He turned his head towards Rufus and Reggie, “Despite the fate that may lie before us...”

His gaze returned to a neutral state, “... we all came together and achieved something amazing. If there’s anything I’ve learned from you all, it’s this: the bonds we’ve established here will never be severed. No matter what comes after, nothing can change how we all feel in this very moment.”

The villain's amber gaze met the hero's emerald stare. “Mao Mao, in accordance with my previous sentiments, I must request something of you.”

Mao Mao raised an eyebrow.

“As we agreed, once we land in Pure Heart Valley I will have fulfilled my end of the deal. Our mandatory involvement in your quest will come to an end. However…” Orangusnake scratched the side of his face. "Well, I can’t just leave you to your fate without settling our score, can I?” He tried and failed to contain a bashful smile.

Mao Mao slid out from under Badgerclops’ arm and walked forward. He approached Orangusnake until they were an arm’s length apart. “That was a nice speech," he muttered.

Orangusnake blushed from the unexpected praise. “I… thought maybe it was a bit stiff, but… thank you.”

“No,” Mao Mao held a hand out toward Orangusnake, “thank  _ you _ .”

Orangusnake’s face lit up. “Really?!” He gripped Mao Mao's hand tight and shook it excitedly. “Then it’s settled!” He released Mao Mao’s hand and threw his fist into the air. “Let’s show that Ruby Pure Heart what we’re made of!”

The crowd cheered their captain on as Orangusnake descended into the ship’s helm. After the villain closed the door behind himself, the rest of the crew made their way into the ship

Orangusnake took a small microphone off of the wall to his left and held it to his mouth. “Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking,” he announced in a sing-song voice. “We will be taking off in just a few moments. Hoss, your report, over.”

Through a speaker above the microphone’s resting place, the avian’s voice relayed his report. “All set down here, sir," Boss Hosstrich said. "Ready when you are, over."

"Copy that. Remember to remain below deck until the flight is over. Next stop: Pure Heart Valley!"

The two large fans on either side of the ship spun rapidly, and the airship slowly began to rise from the ground. Once the airship was above the trees, the landing gear was retracted and the nitrous engine was activated. The dual thrusters unleashed a roaring, cyan flame. The ship's speed increased rapidly, soaring at breakneck speed towards Pure Heart Valley.

Inside the ship, everyone was gathered in a large lounge. The room contained two U-shaped couches facing each other, a table between them, and a bar in the back-left corner of the room. Rufus, Reggie, and the remaining Sky Pirates sat on one couch and used the table to play Go Fish. Meanwhile, Mao Mao sat to Badgerclops’ right on the opposing couch and watched the game unfold.

Mao Mao had his legs crossed, his hands clasped together between his knees. His eyes glazed over as he stared at the table, listening to the monotone myriad of voices that asked for cards before receiving an equally-mundane reply. Badgerclops hummed to himself, idly patting against the cushion of the couch.

Mao Mao's breath slowed as the lingering excitement over their successful departure faded. In its wake was little more than the thoughts he had left himself with, but he was starting to realize that he was too tired to think clearly.

His next breath caught him off-guard, his jaw opening reflexively to let out a soft yawn.

"Aw, feeling sleepy?" Badgerclops teased.

Mao Mao felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him. He didn't answer, letting the annoyed flickering of his tail speak for him.

"C'mon, I know you didn't get a full night's rest," Badgerclops insisted, giving the hero's back a quick rub. "You should take a nap."

Mao Mao tried—and failed—to give his partner a bemused expression. His half-hearted attempt faltered under the badger's gentle smile. With a sigh, he unfurled his legs and crawled towards Badgerclops. He nestled into the badger's lap, drawing his cape around him as a makeshift blanket. As he allowed his heavy eyes to shut, Badgerclops accelerated his descent into sleep by tucking him in and pulling him in close under his arm.

* * *

"Land ho!" an excited Orangusnake announced through the loudspeaker.

The sudden noise awoke Mao Mao with a start, but he was quickly calmed down by a hand gently rubbing his right arm. He lifted his head from Badgerclops’ lap and yawned loudly. Looking around the room, he noticed that the only person still in the lounge aside from himself and Badgerclops was Boss Hosstrich.

The avian pirate was in the middle of chugging down a bottle of golden liquid when he heard Mao Mao’s yawn. He lowered his drink, placing it on the counter. “Rise ‘n’ shine, darlin’,” Boss Hosstrich said.

“Where is everyone?” Mao Mao asked no one in particular.

“They’re walking around the ship, doing whatever,” Badgerclops said.

Several seconds of silence passed, and Boss Hosstrich went for another sip. The trio felt their bodies lurch in one direction as a certain humming of the ship ceased. Boss Hosstrich coughed violently after having nearly choked on his drink.

“Looks like that won’t last long, though.”

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Orangusnake said, his voice carrying throughout the entire ship, “the nitrous engine has been disengaged and we are approaching cruising speed. We will reach our destination in approximately 15 minutes.”

Mao Mao’s eyes widened at the news. “We’re that close? Did I sleep through the whole trip?”

“Guess you were more tired than you thought,” Badgerclops said.

Badgerclops kept Mao Mao company during the wait. The feline had a difficult time sitting still, his energy having returned in full force. True to his word, Orangusnake announced their arrival after 15 minutes and told everyone it was safe to walk on the deck.

Mao Mao rushed onto the deck to see the sight with his own eyes. Badgerclops lagged behind but caught up with the feline soon enough. The sun had just touched the distant horizon, and the sky was dyed a magnificent mixture of orange and pink. Shoulder to shoulder with Badgerclops, he stood as close as he could to the edge of the bow without leaving the deck proper. His mouth hung open as he stared out at the massive forest before him, spotting several familiar landmarks.

“We… are we…” Mao Mao couldn’t form a proper sentence. His mind couldn’t quite process what he was experiencing.

"Mao Mao, please report to the ship’s helm," Orangusnake called from the intercom.

Mao Mao and Badgerclops let themselves into the room where Orangusnake was piloting the ship. The villain requested guidance on where they should land. Mao Mao guided the airship towards a certain spot in the forest: the bend in the river where the original, more fearsome Sky Pirates fell. Though he knocked down a few trees in the process, Orangusnake successfully landed the airship along the river. Once everyone was safely on the ground, Mao Mao led them through the nearby forest until they came upon a suspiciously large clearing.

“There’s… nothing here?” Orangusnake was confused, looking around the area for something he might have missed.

Mao Mao was as surprised as the rest of them, perhaps moreso. He knew this was weird, but then again very little of his journey could be considered “normal”. Rolling with the punches, he looked back at Orangusnake. “Trust me, okay?”

“Right behind you,” Badgerclops assured his friend.

Mao Mao nodded over his shoulder at Badgerclops then began his advance. He wordlessly led the group along the edge of the clearing until he was facing the mountains at just the right angle. He took a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself down, but his efforts were in vain. This was the moment he had been waiting for. This was what all of their efforts had been leading up to. He steeled himself, then slowly walked forward.

Within ten paces, Mao Mao passed the threshold. All at once, the entirety of the Pure Heart Kingdom was revealed to him. The flawless, magenta Ruby Pure Heart provided its protection to the denizens of Pure Heart Valley from atop its spire. The feline rushed through the stone archway toward the fountain at the center of the plaza and spun in place, soaking in his surroundings. With the exception of the functioning Ruby Pure Heart, everything was exactly as he had remembered. The others followed suit, with Badgerclops making sure to stay close to Mao Mao.

“We made it!” Mao Mao cried, repeatedly slapping Badgerclops’ arm as if he didn’t already have the badger’s attention.

“Ow! Dude, quit it!” Badgerclops pleaded.

Mao Mao grabbed the sides of Badgerclops’ face and brought his friend down to his level. “We're really here, Badgerclops!" he shouted despite their faces being centimeters apart.

Badgerclops giggled. "I know!"

Mao Mao wrapped his arms around Badgerclops' neck for an incredibly tight hug. Badgerclops reciprocated the gesture, lifting Mao Mao as he stood up. Mao Mao was ready to cry from how happy he was. "We're home…" his unsteady voice spoke into Badgerclops' ear.

Ramaraffe and Ratarang were celebrating with Rufus and Reggie, the bigger two holding the smaller two in a manner similar to the way Badgerclops was holding Mao Mao.

Orangusnake’s mouth was agape at the sight before him. He had taken the Sky Pirates on a number of raids, but no treasure would ever compare to what he was feeling at that moment.

“I reckon we done did it,” Boss Hosstrich blurted out from Orangusnake’s right. He made eye contact with the snake, who simply nodded in agreement.

Mao Mao released his grip and allowed his feet to return to the ground. He held Badgerclops’ hands as he stared into the badger’s eye with a quivering lower lip.

A cacophony of footsteps became louder and louder as the sources approached Mao Mao and his friends. From every angle, sweetypies wearing magenta chest pieces decorated with a large pink heart surrounded the group. They were all equipped with candy stripe spears, the tips of which were pointed forwards. The celebration was cut short as the king's guard set up a perimeter.

The group faced the surrounding threat, everyone covering each other’s backs. Rufus and Reggie sat in the middle of their formation while the rest created a circular wall around them. Mao Mao unsheathed Geraldine. To his left, Badgerclops drew his pistol and transformed it into its shotgun form. To the feline’s right, Orangusnake pulled out his long, purple handle and activated his energy axe. The other Sky Pirates took up fighting poses. Rufus held Reggie tightly, to the point of the raccoon’s eyes bulging out of his head. Everyone was on guard.

Two guards broke away from the formation and took a couple steps forward toward Mao Mao. One was a short yellow dog, the other a tall purple bird. Mao Mao recognized these guards from his several run-ins with them.

“Who’re you?” the avian guard asked. Mao Mao recalled never hearing the smaller of the two speak, and figured this conversation would go the same way their previous ones did. “You're not from ‘round 'ere."

"No, but I've lived here for the better part of a year." Mao Mao maintained eye contact with the bird for the time being, staring daggers into the guard.

"Oi, you think I'm daft?" The guard grew frustrated, leaning forward and raising an eyebrow. “Or are you tellin’ me you didn’t just land that airship?”

Mao Mao grumbled.

“I won’t ask again. Who are you?”

“... Mao Mao,” the hero eventually said.

“All right ‘Mao Mao’,” the guard said in a mocking tone, “you’ve got about ten seconds to explain yourself.”

Mao Mao groaned. “I don’t have time for an interrogation. Take me to the king.”

“Hah! Not bloody likely. No one sees the king, least of all a bunch of trespassin’ outsiders.” The guard lowered his stance. “Let me make one thing clear, right: I don’t know what you’re doin’ ‘ere an’ I don’t care. We can’t let you go out blabberin’ about our kingdom bein’ ‘ere. You lot are goin’ to the dungeon for a very, very long time. Now are we gonna do this the easy way, or the ‘ard way?” He punctuated his sentence by raising his spear slightly.

Mao Mao lowered his own stance in response, refusing to back down.

“Looks like these guys are itching for a fight,” Orangusnake whispered loudly. “Just say the word and we’ll start bashing heads in—clear a path for you to escape.”

“What about you?” Mao Mao whispered back.

“These guys are nothing. Don’t worry about us.”

“Oi, what’re you mumblin’ about?” the guard asked while taking a step forward.

“We’re running out of time here,” Badgerclops said. “Mao Mao, what’s the plan?”

Mao Mao scanned the crowd looking for any weaknesses in their formation. He analyzed the soldiers to gauge their strength. He thought about how Rufus and Reggie would need to be escorted. He considered the Sky Pirates’ ability to cut through the guards. He couldn’t let their efforts have been for nothing. They had come too far to fail. The situation was dire and the stakes were high.

“What’s the meaning of this?” a distant voice boomed. It came from roughly the direction Mao Mao was facing.

Starting from the back, the guards moved aside to make a path through the crowd. They held their spears at their sides and stood to attention once they changed positions. When the last two guards moved aside, the voice’s owner was revealed.

It was a sweetypie, but unlike most of the ones in his memories this one was as tall as Mao Mao. Their yellow eyes, resting just under their pointed ears, pierced Mao Mao’s very soul. Below their round chin was a crimson scarf, both tails hanging over the sweetypie’s back. Their right leg was completely robotic and made from a metal that had been painted yellow, though errant scratches revealed the original gray color. As the figure unwrapped its webbed wings from its body, they revealed a brown utility belt around their waist, adorned with several explosives and daggers.

On the sweetypie’s chest was a large, yellow heart.

Mao Mao was frozen in place. His hands shook so much that Geraldine was rattling. His loosened grip nearly caused him to drop her. His mind raced and he lost track of what any of his previous thoughts were. Though he was at a loss for words, he managed to voice one:

“Adorabat?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That Orangusnake entrance took Hekmugi and I two hours to get right. I'm always thankful he's willing to spend that kind of time on me and I'm glad we did it but hoo boy. Anywho, how about that ending, huh?
> 
> Comments? Criticism? Please post them below!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hekmugi beta-read this chapter! Thanks man, and enjoy!

Adorabat was taken aback by Mao Mao correctly identifying her, but she quickly recovered from her shock. “How do you know my name?” she asked, narrowing her eyes.

Mao Mao wasn’t expecting such a mature voice to come out of his little deputy. She sounded the way she looked: like a young woman. His mouth moved, opening and closing as he tried to force out a question—or a phrase, even a syllable, but his mind kept his voice trapped in his throat. The contrast was too stark. Of all the familiar faces he'd come across, Adorabat was by far the most significantly changed. She may as well have been a completely different person.

“ _That’s_ Adorabat?” Badgerclops asked Mao Mao. “But you said she was five years old.”

Adorabat only became more confused. “Do I… know you?”

Mao Mao knew Adorabat wouldn’t remember anything, but it still hurt him to hear her say that. He grit his teeth and clenched his eyes shut.

The avian guard scoffed. "More like there was an information leak. How do you think these outsiders found us in the first place? They even know about the king. Don’t fall for their tricks. They’re only here to line their pockets."

“That’s not true!” Badgerclops pleaded. “The Ruby Pure Heart did something really messed up and we have to fix it!”

“The Ruby Pure Heart has protected this kingdom since the beginnin’,” the guard said. “Not once has it failed in its task.”

“Until today,” Orangusnake said with a sinister hiss.

“We’re about to pick up the slack aren’t we, Captain?” The guard looked to Adorabat.

Adorabat was busy analyzing Mao Mao. Her gaze was sad, almost pitiful. The guard’s charge snapped her out of it, returning her gaze to a more authoritative one befitting her position. "That's right. I'm sorry, but I can't take any risks when it comes to the safety of the kingdom. You're going to come with us to the castle's dungeon where we're better equipped to… interrogate you."

Mao Mao didn't like the sound of that. He was quickly snapped out of the mood that the situation had put him in. He was back to thinking of a way out, but now he had to account for Adorabat. He could take down the guards just fine, but Adorabat wasn’t a lost cause. He could still save her.

“Mao Mao!” Orangusnake whispered loudly. His worried eyes belied his devious smile. “If you let me take the guards, she's all yours. Whaddaya say?”

Mao Mao took a deep breath. “Go for it.”

All of the fear left Orangusnake’s eyes in an instant. The next thing anyone knew, the villain was charging forward and knocking back any guard that stood in his way. The other Sky Pirates joined in as well, clearing a path for Rufus and Reggie to run back to the airship.

“You got this, dude!” Badgerclops shouted at Mao Mao before joining in on the chaos.

Mao Mao stared Adorabat down with a gaze of stone. “What was that look back there for?” He was intent on carrying out a full conversation while the battle raged around them. He needed a buffer while he came up with a plan.

Adorabat maintained her own stone-cold stare. "I don't know what you're talking about."

“There’s a part of you that believes us.”

“As preposterous as the notion is, I can’t ignore any possible leads. I can only hope you’re wrong.”

_Of course_ , Mao Mao thought to himself. "... That's an interesting uniform. That belt looks familiar." _Bingo_.

"It's a common color for leather to have."

"That scarf is an interesting shade of red, as well."

"It’s the same red the stones beneath you will be if you don't surrender."

"The same red that I’m wearing."

Adorabat paused. “You wouldn’t know. In Pure Heart Valley, crimson represents heroism.”

Mao Mao tightened his grip on Geraldine. “Is that right?” He closed his eyes for just a moment before opening them wide and charging towards Adorabat. "Then show me what a hero is!"

Spinning backwards on her left foot, Adorabat quickly morphed the lower half of her robotic leg into a yellow broadsword that was longer than the limb it came from. She anticipated Mao Mao would strike from her right and parried his attack away with a powerful kick.

Mao Mao was pushed back by the blow, but he backflipped to create even more distance. He looked up, and his quick reflexes allowed him to parry the kunai Adorabat threw at him. She was balancing on her left foot, with her right leg bent behind her left. She spread her wings and responded to Mao Mao's request:

“Gladly.”

Adorabat flapped her wings once, propelling herself forward at an impressive speed. Her kick came from Mao Mao’s left, and he was able to block the blow although the force of it pushed him to his right a bit. Not giving him a chance to recover, Adorabat pressed her advantage. Another flap of her wings and another kick, this time from Mao Mao’s right. He was still sliding along the ground when he blocked her second attack. Mao Mao’s momentum was cancelled by the clash of their swords.

A streak of blue moved around Mao Mao's right. He turned around just in time to dodge Adorabat’s helm splitter. He rolled to her right at the last second, causing her blade to strike the stone ground. Mao Mao recovered from the roll, and made a run for his right to create a distance between them. Adorabat flapped her wings once to get herself back in the air, then again to chase after Mao Mao.

The pressure was intense and unrelenting. Mao Mao could feel the years of experience every time their swords clashed. Under normal circumstances, he would be proud. He was barely given any time to think before he noticed how close Adorabat was to him. He turned on a dime and moved his head back just far enough to dodge her uppercut. The tip of Adorabat’s blade missed Mao Mao’s face by millimeters. Completing the backflip, Adorabat landed on her left foot. She then flew straight into the air and dove sword-first towards Mao Mao.

_Gotcha!_

Mao Mao deftly pivoted his body so that Adorabat’s blade just barely passed under his right tricep. With his right hand, he ripped one of the bombs off of Adorabat’s belt. Maintaining the flow of his motion, he rolled forward and reoriented himself to face Adorabat. “Badgerclops!” he yelled.

Adorabat slid across the ground, her sword creating sparks as it scraped against the cobblestone street. She turned around to face her opponent and returned her leg to its normal shape. She looked down at her belt to see that one of her bombs had indeed been stolen.

Badgerclops ran onto the scene and stood next to Mao Mao. “You called?”

Mao Mao held the bomb up to his chest. “Let’s blow this popsicle stand.”

“Woah, woah, woah,” Adorabat said while holding her wings out in front of herself. “You don’t know what that thing is capable of.”

“Sorry Adorabat,” Mao Mao said in a solemn tone, “but I know you a lot better than you think.”

The bomb was thrown between the two of them and exploded in a large haze of gray smoke.

Adorabat covered her mouth and coughed into her wing. "How did he know that was a smoke bomb?" she asked herself out loud. She tried to take a deep breath, but the smoke was too thick and no air seemed to enter her lungs. She flapped her free wing as hard as she could in order to clear the smoke from her position. It took about ten seconds for visibility to return to her and see that Mao Mao had fled the scene along with Badgerclops.

“Captain!” the avian guard shouted as he ran to Adorabat from behind. “Captain, that giant snake man took out most of the guards an’ is still—wait, what ‘appened to the cat?” He looked around the area as if expecting to see Mao Mao somewhere.

Adorabat didn’t turn around, but she did grit her teeth in frustration. “He got away,” she said in a low, menacing voice.

“I suppose issuing a search goes without sayin’?”

“Check every nook and cranny of the entire village,” Adorabat said slowly. “They can’t have gone far.”

“Right!” The avian guard saluted his superior then ran off towards the other guards.

Adorabat turned her head towards the Ruby Pure Heart. Her brow twitched as she silently stared at the face of her magenta protector.

* * *

Mao Mao and Badgerclops leaned against opposing walls in a nondescript alley. They had successfully escaped from the scene without being followed and took a moment to catch their breaths.

“Okay,” Badgerclops spoke as he panted, “that was really smart. She really had no idea.”

“Let’s not waste this advantage,” Mao Mao said, his breaths significantly better controlled than those of Badgerclops.

“Right.” Badgerclops put his hands on his back as he stepped away from the wall. “What’s the plan?”

“We don’t have a choice: we make for the castle.” Mao Mao stepped away from his wall as well. “Hopefully Orangusnake can keep the guards busy for a little while longer.”

Badgerclops nodded. “I should have expected him to be that strong, but he wiped out almost the entire guard by himself! You fought that every week and won?”

Mao Mao smirked. “Who do you think I am?” He shrugged as he made his way toward the alley’s exit.

Badgerclops smiled and rolled his eyes in response before following his friend.

“Wait!” Mao Mao whispered while holding up a hand.

Badgerclops stuck himself to the wall just in time for the two passing guards to miss him. These guards wore a slightly different uniform from the others; the pink heart and helmet remained, but the color of the vest was changed to a deep blue. After the guards were a safe distance away, Badgerclops let out a long sigh. “Phew, thanks.”

“They have guards patrolling the streets?”

“I guess that’s what happens when they don’t have a sheriff.”

Mao Mao nodded. “We need to be careful. Have that grappling hook ready to go at a moment’s notice.”

Swiftly and quietly diving in and out of alleys, the duo snuck through the village as they made their way towards the Ruby Pure Heart spire. Not only did they have to worry about the patrolling guards, but also the possibility of Adorabat spotting them from above. That meant the rooftops, which would have been the easiest route, were off limits. Thankfully, the shadows created by the evening sun provided excellent cover for their stealth operation. Mao Mao took the lead and would make sure the coast was clear for Badgerclops.

There were several close calls during the first part of their operation. One of the alleys Mao Mao scouted out had Gary throwing away some trash into a dumpster. Mao Mao jumped between the two walls of the alley until he was hanging on to the edge of a roof. That was just high enough that Gary, looking towards the sound he heard, found no sign of any cat. In another part of the village, Badgerclops nearly let the smell of Muffins' pastries lure him into the path of an approaching guard. Though there were a few bumps in the road, they made considerable progress toward their goal.

All at once, their luck seemed to have run out. Mao Mao led Badgerclops down an alley that should have been no different from the others. On any other day, that might have been the case. As Mao Mao scouted the area beyond the alley’s exit, something dropped onto Badgerclops from the roof of one of the adjacent buildings. The badger let out a loud yelp in both surprise and pain, causing Mao Mao to turn around to check on his friend.

A familiar pink goblin of a sweetypie had decided to use Badgerclops as a cushion for his landing. Slung over the rhinoceros’ right shoulder was a large burlap sack, bulging with contents unknown. He turned to his left to see Mao Mao positively fuming. He brought one of his flat-tipped arms to his mouth and smiled wickedly. “Oops, sorry,” he said in a way that made it clear he wasn’t actually sorry. He hopped off of Badgerclops and made sure his bag was unharmed.

“Pinky!” Mao Mao whispered loudly. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Pinky looked at Mao Mao and raised an eyebrow. “Uh, do I know you?”

“Keep your voice down! You never kno—”

“Freeze, Pinky!” A green salamander guard rounded the corner into the alley with his spear raised. His confidence waned when he spotted Mao Mao and Badgerclops. “Wait, who are you two?”

As if the situation couldn’t get any worse, a second guard blocked the rear exit. This guard was a lanky dalmatian, but he held his spear just as tightly as the salamander. “Hey, who are these guys?” he seemed to ask the other guard.

“We’ve never seen you before, and we’ve been warned about outsiders. Identify yourselves at once!” The salamander guard slowly walked toward Mao Mao and Badgerclops, and the dalmatian guard followed suit.

Mao Mao looked back and forth between the two guards as they slowly closed in on him. He laughed nervously. “Well, uh, my name is Mao Mao, nicetomeetyou. And the man who I’m about to escape with is named Badgerclops.”

By the time Mao Mao was finished talking, Badgerclops had already wrapped his right arm around the feline. Before either guard could react, Badgerclops shot his grappling hook at one of the adjacent roofs and ascended the alley wall.

"Ta ta!" Mao Mao waved at the guards as he made his escape.

Pretending not to hear Pinky’s cry for help down below, Mao Mao and Badgerclops left the alley behind in favor of the black-tiled rooftops of the village's many buildings. Badgerclops’ feet had not even touched the roof before the guards below called for reinforcements. They oriented themselves towards the Ruby Pure Heart spire and ran as fast as they could. The grappling hook was their best friend in this endeavor, which meant that Badgerclops needed to carry Mao Mao the whole way to their destination in order to be time-efficient. They zipped over streets and swung around chimneys as they avoided the growing number of guards on their tails. With Adorabat nowhere to be found, it seemed like they could make it to the spire unscathed.

The upcoming gap was one between two roofs that sat level with each other. Badgerclops aimed his grappling hook at the top of the roof with the intent of zipping straight across the gap. The plan fell apart when one of the shingles Badgerclops stepped on gave way and caused him to trip. His aim was thrown off slightly, and he ended up sending the hook through the building's second storey window. His impact against the roof caused him to tense up and activate the grappling gauntlet's pull function. Mao Mao and Badgerclops screamed as they crashed through the glass pane.

Badgerclops pulled his hook from the floor as he sailed over it, then rolled across the floor without letting go of Mao Mao. His back hit the opposing wall, which put an end to his crash course with a loud thud. He let Mao Mao roll out of his grip and onto the floor in order to get up easier.

Mao Mao propped himself up with his left elbow to begin his attempt at standing up. He looked over at his friend, who seemed to be struggling. “Badgerclops, you good?” he asked.

Using the windowsill of the unbroken window above him as support, Badgerclops lifted himself onto his feet. “Not as bad as the spectral dragon, but still not great,” he said, shaking his head free of any dizziness the trip caused him.

Once he was on his feet, Mao Mao examined his surroundings. He was flanked by undecorated white walls, which were perforated by several open doors on either side. The floor of the four meter-long hallway was wood, a light one resembling bamboo. To the left of the window he and Badgerclops crashed through was a wooden staircase leading down to the first floor.

“Don’t tell me we just landed in someone’s house,” Badgerclops said as made his way to Mao Mao’s side.

Neither of them heard the footsteps making their way up the stairs. A pink alpaca wearing a white T-shirt with yellow sleeves silently stared at the two outsiders that just broke one of his windows. Mao Mao recognized the sweetypie as Vic. Not one person in the scene made a move for several moments until a loud knocking at the door made them all flinch.

Badgerclops aimed his grappling hook towards the window at their end of the hallway. “We gotta get—”

“Shh!” Vic raised a claw to his mouth, signalling for silence.

Mao Mao and Badgerclops looked to each other briefly, then nodded in an unspoken agreement.

Vic nodded to them and walked back down the stairs. Soon after, the sound of the front door opening reached Mao Mao and Badgerclops. The feline inched along the wall, getting as close to the corner as he could without exposing any part of himself. He had to know what was going on down there, and if he couldn’t watch he was going to try his best to listen.

“... evening,” the first voice said. It was light with a hint of a lisp.

“Evening, officer. What seems to be the problem?” the second voice asked. This voice was quite a bit deeper than the first one.

“We’ve been chasing a pair of criminals through the village and we lost sight of them around here. Have you seen a duo consisting of a black cat and a one-eyed badger?”

“Sorry, sir. Can’t say I have.”

“Don’t be sorry—be glad. A number of us guards will be searching the area for the time being. Alert the nearest patrolman if you have any leads.”

“I’ll be sure to do that.”

“All right, stay safe.”

“Thanks, you too.”

The sound of the door closing prompted Mao Mao to peek around the corner. He was just in time to see a red maned wolf in a blue uniform walk past one of the front windows. He watched Vic sigh and walk somewhere further into the house. It sounded like Vic was rummaging through a supply closet for a moment.

Vic reappeared, sporting yellow tennis shoes and carrying a broom and dustpan. Without looking at Mao Mao, he ascended the stairs in silence. He crested the top of the stairs and poked his head out of the broken window, examining the ground below. Not finding what he was looking for, he pulled his head back inside. “You could have blown your cover,” he said without looking up.

“What?” Mao Mao asked.

“If you stepped on a shard of glass and made any sort of noise, the guard would have found you.” Vic began sweeping up the glass he was talking about, his shoes allowing him to step on the shards without worry.

Mao Mao took several careful steps back towards the other end of the hallway. “Right.”

“So, are you two really outsiders?” Vic asked, once again refusing to make eye contact with Mao Mao for the time being.

“Well, in a sense, yes,” Mao Mao admitted. “It’s… kind of a long story.”

“We’ve got time,” Vic said. “You need to lay low while the guards are still hanging around here.”

Mao Mao tilted his head to the side, his face expressing his mild confusion. “Why are you…?”

“I’ve never met an outsider before. Most people in the Valley haven’t. Only the guards ever speak about outsiders.” Vic bent down with the dustpan and began shovelling glass into it. “None of us know what the world outside of the Valley is like. All we know is that the Ruby Pure Heart protects us from it.”

“That’s messed up,” Badgerclops said as he folded his arms.

“I guess I should be scared of you two. You _could_ be criminals, after all. But, I don’t know…” Vic straightened his posture and smiled at Mao Mao. “I guess you guys seem like good people.” His gaze moved to Badgerclops for a moment. He then turned around and walked towards the stairs. “There’s food and water downstairs if you want.”

Badgerclops leaned over and whispered into Mao Mao’s ear. “This guy’s kinda… weird, right? Like, it’s not just me?”

Memories of Mao Mao’s first day in Pure Heart Valley rushed into his mind. He thought there was something wrong with the sweetypies; the way they rushed to bathe him in gifts and offer their friendship was unnatural and unnerving at first. He smiled. “Yeah, he is.” He then made his way towards the stairs.

Badgerclops sighed and followed his friend. As he passed by the broken window, however, he heard what sounded like a battle cry. It was loud enough that it sounded like it was right next to him.

Mao Mao heard the voice as well. He looked up the stairs at Badgerclops, who shrugged with an open eye.

Vic approached one of the windows next to the front door and looked for a possible source. “Uh, you guys didn’t come alone, did you?” he asked Mao Mao and Badgerclops.

The duo rushed down the stairs and looked out the same window as Vic. Outside of the house was a small, circular roadway that split at two perpendicular areas. Guards filled almost the entire area, but their numbers were quickly diminishing. Through the glass they saw Orangusnake cutting down all the guards in the area. His chestplate was visibly scuffed and most of his right shoulder pad was missing, but he fought hard and revelled in the battle.

“How nice of you all to gather like this!” Orangusnake yelled. “Makes chopping you up that much easier!”

More guards filed into the streets as Orangusnake took them out. Their attention was completely focused on him. Whether he knew it or not, Orangusnake just created the perfect distraction.

“Looks like that’s our cue,” Mao Mao said.

Vic stepped away from the window. “You should head out through the backdoor. It’s right at the back of the kitchen. And feel free to take a bottle of water or two for the road.”

“On it!” Badgerclops saluted Vic and headed for the kitchen.

Mao Mao held out his left hand to Vic. “Thanks for your help.”

Vic waved a hand dismissively. “I didn’t do anything.”

“You took a chance on us. We won’t waste it.”

Vic smiled and shook Mao Mao’s hand. “Good luck out there.”

“Mao Mao!” Badgerclops called from the kitchen. “I got the water, and also a bag of animal crackers we can share. Let’s dip!”

Mao Mao nodded to his friend. He realized he forgot something and returned his gaze to Vic. “By the way, name’s Mao Mao. My friend back there is Badgerclops. Be seeing you.”

Vic waved goodbye to the two outsiders as they ran through the backdoor of his house. “Wait, he’ll be seeing me?” he asked himself out loud.

Mao Mao and Badgerclops were back to sneaking through alleys. The noise Orangusnake created drew much of the attention of any nearby guards, which cleared many routes out of the area. As such, the rest of their trip went very smoothly.

The sun just barely peeked over the horizon by the time Mao Mao and Badgerclops made it to the base of the Ruby Pure Heart spire. Mao Mao silently thanked Orangusnake for the lack of guards in the area. He led Badgerclops around the spire counterclockwise, searching for a specific pattern in the rock. Most of the sky was a deep purple and very little light remained, which made it more difficult for Badgerclops but left Mao Mao unaffected.

“Here it is!” Mao Mao said excitedly. His hand hovered over an area of rock that looked no different than the rest to Badgerclops.

“Here _what_ is?” Badgerclops asked.

Mao Mao pressed both of his hands into the stone as hard as he could. A large, paw-shaped cutout slid back into the rock, and to his right a portion of the wall slid silently to the side to reveal a hidden cave.

“Woah,” Badgerclops said, impressed.

“Only the king’s chosen few know about this place.” Mao Mao looked over at Badgerclops. “Don’t worry, you were one of them. Now let’s go.”

Badgerclops nodded and entered the mouth of the cave. Mao Mao followed close behind, but stopped just short of entering. He looked back at the village with worry in his eyes. He knew he was too far away to hear anything, but the silence brought him no comfort. He thought of everyone he was leaving behind, but all he could do was keep moving. Hoping his thoughts would reach his friends, Mao Mao entered the cave and closed the entrance behind himself.

Inside of the secret entrance was a long, dark tunnel of rock. Badgerclops kept a hand on Mao Mao’s shoulder and let the feline guide them through the darkness. After a few minutes they reached a red velvet door with a small window near the top. Orange light was pouring out of it, and Badgerclops peeked in to see a golden room with red velvet drapes all around. Mao Mao approached the door and tried to open it but it was locked, as to be expected. As soon as the feline’s hand left the door knob, Badgerclops took out his firearm and shot the knob clean off. They heard the other half fall inside of the room, and light poured through the resulting hole. Mao Mao sighed and continued on with Badgerclops close behind.

The room they entered was as Badgerclops examined it to be, except for the fact that he seemed to miss the weapon racks that lined the walls. What Badgerclops definitely could not have seen was what the left wall held. Instead of red curtains, there was a metal door that spanned the entire wall. To the left of that was a keypad with a card reader, and below that pad was a large red button.

“If the king was being followed, this would be the last line of defense,” Mao Mao explained. “Anyone who was able to stay behind would take up a weapon and… hope they could return to the king once it was all over.”

“From the looks of the village, I didn’t think there’d be something like this down here,” Badgerclops said. “Plus, it totally clashes with the rest of the room.”

“I’m sure the king said the same thing,” Mao Mao said as he approached the open door. “At least it’s not already locked. That means the king hasn’t come through here.” Beyond the door was a large stone staircase carved into the side of the cave.

“Speaking of, like, what’s the plan?” Badgerclops asked as he followed Mao Mao out of the room. “Are we just gonna walk up to the king and ask him to help us?”

“... Yeah?”

“That’s not a plan!”

"A hero knows how to improvise and get himself out of a sticky situation."

“What about the rest of us?”

Mao Mao stopped in his tracks. He stood in silence for a few seconds, then put on a grin and looked back at Badgerclops. "Saving people is what a hero does best."

Badgerclops sighed and moved his right hand to his face. Try as he might, his facade eventually broke. He smiled and put his hands on his hips. “All right, you win.”

“Now _that’s_ a plan!” Mao Mao turned around and skipped his way up the stairs.

“That’s still not a plan!” Badgerclops called as he chased after Mao Mao all the way up the interior of the Ruby Pure Heart spire.

* * *

"Here we are," Mao Mao said as he faced a pair of large, stone doors.

Badgerclops wiped the sweat from his brow as he caught up with Mao Mao. "If I didn't have my grappling hook, you'd be on your own," he said between breaths.

Mao Mao pulled the ring knob of the right stone door. He made sure to slide the door open carefully to limit the amount of noise it made. Peaking through the crack, he saw that it was far past sundown. The night sky loomed overhead, tinting the Valley a dull blue. No footsteps could be heard, and Mao Mao was confident the coast was clear. He peeked his head through the crack, opening the door further as he slipped more of his body through. There were no guards posted anywhere that he could see. He quietly signalled for Badgerclops to follow him.

The duo had emerged near the top of the spire. From what Mao Mao remembered of the palace's layout, the throne room was only a few stairways and a couple of hallways away. Not only was the distance short, the trip itself was easy. There were no guards in their immediate path, and the palace was eerily quiet. Mao Mao was sure there would be guards in the area, and the absence of them was worrying. He kept an eye out for any potential ambushes.

The last obstacle in their way came in the first of two guards. They stood on either side of the portal leading to the courtyard—the very same courtyard where all of this started. The end of the final staircase split into two paths, each flanking the courtyard’s entrance. Mao Mao and Badgerclops took separate paths and planned to take out one guard each. Mao Mao’s speed allowed him to reach his guard first, drawing the attention of the second guard. Taking advantage of the distraction, Badgerclops hooked the nape of the second guard’s uniform. The guard was pulled towards Badgerclops at such a speed that making contact with the badger’s left fist was enough to knock them out.

Badgerclops felt his whole arm sting, and shook it in an attempt to relieve himself of the pain. “Good stuff.”

“No doubt, no doubt,” Mao Mao agreed.

Side by side, Mao Mao and Badgerclops strolled through the empty courtyard.

“So, like, what if the king’s not in there?” Badgerclops asked.

“I thought about that. Given the lack of guards in the area, it’s possible they’ve all been holed up in the throne room this whole time. And if he’s not there, it’s a hop, skip, and a jump to his chambers.”

“Sweet.”

About halfway through the courtyard, Mao Mao's whiskers twitched. He shoved Badgerclops to the side and quickly raised Geraldine above his head. He reacted fast enough for Gerladine's blade to perfectly meet the tip of Adorabat's sword, successfully thwarting her aerial assassination attempt. Mao Mao's cape flapped behind him from the force of the impact.

Adorabat backflipped off of Mao Mao's sword, morphed her sword back into a normal leg, then landed between him and the throne room. She glared at him without saying a word.

Badgerclops scrambled to Mao Mao's side and aimed his pistol at Adorabat.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Adorabat said. She brought a wing to her mouth and blew into it, resulting in a loud whistle.

The top of the walls surrounding the courtyard were suddenly alight with numerous orange flames. Behind each flame was an arrow, and behind each arrow was a guard. The guards were packed close together, about shoulder’s width apart from each other. The palace's entire guard force was standing on those walls, and Adorabat was the one who prepared the ambush.

"End of the line," Adorabat said.

“This is kinda bad,” Badgerclops said. He was worried, but he refused to lower his weapon.

Mao Mao returned Adorabat’s glare. “You’re making a big mistake, Adorabat.”

“Stop calling me that!” Adorabat shouted, leaning forward slightly. “You don’t know me!”

Mao Mao took a deep breath, then let his arms fall to his side. He straightened his posture and closed his eyes. “You’re right. I don’t know you.”

Adorabat didn’t say anything, nor did her expression change. It seemed she was listening.

“... But I know who you used to be,” he said, looking at Adorabat with sadness in his eyes. “You were a sweet yet fearsome little girl. Your voice turned frowns into smiles as much as it turned mountains into rubble. You laughed in the face of any monster that crossed your path.”

Silence. A cold, unflinching glare.

“And yet, you took one look at a hobo with a golden sword and suddenly you wanted to be just like him. And, suddenly, I wanted you to be my apprentice. You, Badgerclops and I spent almost every day together. The sheriff and his deputies. We defended Pure Heart Valley from all manner of threats—monsters, villains,... sometimes each other. But no matter what, at the end of the day we’d all go to sleep in the same triple bunk bed.”

Adorabat straightened her posture and her expression softened.

“There’s so much I still need to teach you. There are so many more memories to make. Please, Adorabat,” Mao Mao held out his right hand, “... let’s go home.”

Badgerclops sniffled and wiped the tear from his eye. “Dude, that was so beauti—”

Adorabat quickly raised her right wing straight into the air. "I'm giving you one last chance to surrender. If you don't comply, I'll give them the order to fire."

Mao Mao slowly lowered his right hand, then tightened his grip on Geraldine. _Not again…_

The castle doors were thrown open. The entire courtyard was suddenly bathed in a royal, golden light. A large shadow slowly covered the former members of the sheriff’s department.

Mao Mao and Badgerclops momentarily lifted their free arms, shielding their eyes against the sudden visual assault. Once their eyes adjusted to the light, they looked on at the approaching figure with wide eyes.

Adorabat’s own eyes went wide and she slowly turned around.

King Snugglemagne XXV took small steps out of the throne room. With the immense volume of light behind him, his eyes gave off that same glowing illusion they did right on that fateful day.

“Y-your grace?” Adorabat said, surprised.

"Stand down, captain," Snugglemagne commanded. “The sheriff speaks the truth.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Orangusnake makes the party a little crazy! Adorabat proves she's not Mao Mao's little deputy anymore! The king makes his dramatic return! What will happen next? Stick around to find out! Thanks again to Hekmugi for helping improve this chapter!
> 
> Comments? Criticisms? Post 'em if you like, it's free!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hekmugi beta-read this chapter so that you could read it. Enjoy!

Adorabat couldn’t believe what she had just heard. “But, y—”

“Stand. Down.” There was more than a hint of force in Snugglemagne’s voice. “Or must I take command of your own men?”

Fear flashed in Adorabat’s eyes. She sighed. “Lower your weapons!” she shouted into the air.

All at once, the flames on the walls were snuffed out. The guards lowered their bows as commanded, though a few looked at each other in confusion. Meanwhile, Badgerclops sighed heavily and let his figure slump.

“Very good,” Snugglemagne said.

“Your word is law,” Adorabat said with a bow.

“As it should be.” Snugglemagne walked forward just enough to stand next to Adorabat, who did not lift her gaze from the ground. The spot put him a few meters away from Mao Mao and Badgerclops. “Honestly, captain. His entire outfit is crimson. Did you consider for a moment the possibility that this was not mere coincidence?”

“Yes, your grace.”

Snugglemagne glared at Adorabat from the corner of his eye. He blinked as he pushed a breath out of his nose, relaxing his expression. “I suppose hindsight is 20/20. You _were_ always quick to resort to violence. You may rise.” Seeing Adorabat follow his order, he smiled at Mao Mao. “Greetings, sheriff. It’s good to see you again.”

Mao Mao relaxed his stance and sheathed Geraldine. “You look well, your grace.” He tried to speak with as neutral a voice as possible.

"Oh, you don't have to hide it from me, sheriff," Snugglemagne said as he brought a paw to his chest. "I'm fully aware of your suspicions. I have received the memories of my past life, after all.”

Deciding to drop all pretenses, Mao Mao let a frown grow on his face. Images of that fateful day had not stopped flashing across his eyes since he stepped into the courtyard, but Snugglemagne’s appearance focused them to a single moment: the light he saw in the king’s eyes. That light remained in the eyes of the lion before him. He wasn’t standing in front of the king, he was standing in front of the man who may have caused all of this to happen. He couldn’t let his guard down, not after everything he and his friends went through.

Despite the guards standing down and the flaming arrows being snuffed out, the air had become no less tense. Giving a concerned glance at his friend, Badgerclops resigned himself to follow his friend's lead. It was clear to him that what was going to happen next depended solely on the dialogue between Mao Mao and Snugglemagne. There was no place for him or anyone else in this conversation.

“... You didn't have your memories from the start like I did,” Mao Mao said in a low voice. "The Ruby Pure Heart gave them to you."

“That’s right.” Snugglemagne held his arms behind his back. “Mere minutes ago I was relinquished from a dialogue with the Ruby Pure Heart. It knew you returned to the Valley with your memories intact, and felt I should greet you with the truths you seek and more.”

“And how do you know all of it is the truth?” Mao Mao asked.

“Let’s see…” Snugglemagne closed his eyes. “Your badger deputy assaulted me with his robotic arm, ripping the dessert I had just eaten straight from my stomach. Your little blue deputy freed me from the bowels of a gelatin monster by way of a magic trick. You competed against me in a pet show to determine ownership of your old canine companion Bao Bao. Need I go on? Would you say those memories line up with yours?”

“... Yeah.”

“And one more thing. It was you...” Snugglemagne lowered his head slightly, then opened his eyes to look straight at Mao Mao. “... who cracked the Ruby Pure Heart, was it not?”

Mao Mao sharpened his gaze. “I had a feeling the Ruby Pure Heart didn’t give you back your memories just because it was feeling nice.”

"My memories were just the beginning of what the Ruby Pure Heart bestowed upon me. As you might have guessed, the Ruby Pure Heart was the source of several of the challenges you faced since your arrival in Pure Heart Valley. Whatever number you think that is… is a gross underestimate."

“So that’s really what all of this is about? Everything we’ve been through was just the Ruby Pure Heart trying to get rid of me?"

"I'm afraid that's correct. You see, it realized the Valley doesn't need its protection anymore. After all that it has done for us, it refused to be cast away and forgotten. In response to this danger, it created its own little world where everyone could live the lives they wanted.”

That last piece of information momentarily took Mao Mao’s attention away from the conversation. A number of thoughts rushing into his head as he tried to process the implications of what he had just heard. _Is that the last piece of the puzzle?_ He continued listening, hoping Snugglemagne would shed even more light on the situation.

“We were all happily going about our business as we normally would thanks to the Ruby Pure Heart. That is, until _you_ came back. It seems that twice now your actions have caused the Ruby Pure Heart to take drastic measures to ensure its survival.”

Mao Mao’s eyes widened as he let more of his anger surface. "This is _not_ my fault."

"If you weren't here, none of this would have happened." Snugglemagne raised his head and let his arms fall to his sides. “Which brings me to the last gift I received.” A magenta spear appeared in Snugglemagne’s right paw with a flashy burst of similarly-colored particles. Its shape was a simple pole with an arrowhead tip, but that tip was as big as Mao Mao's head, and the length of the spear in total was twice the sheriff's height.

Adorabat took a step back in both surprise and cautiousness. “Your grace?”

Mao Mao threw his arms out to his sides. “You stopped Adorabat from attacking me so that you could do it yourself?”

“In exchange for your head, the Ruby Pure Heart will allow the rest of us to return to our normal lives. I can’t afford to leave this in anyone else’s hands.” Snugglemagne pointed his spear at Mao Mao. “I have been graced with the power to end this, and that’s what I intend to do.”

Badgerclops moved his right hand over the grip of his pistol and leaned forward slightly. “Don’t even try telling me to get back. We’re in this together.”

Mao Mao didn’t argue the point. In fact, he inwardly appreciated it. He had hoped there would be more of his companions by his side, but Badgerclops alone was enough to give him the strength to take on the world. He lowered his stance in anticipation of Snugglemagne’s advance. He held Geraldine’s scabbard in his right hand and slowly moved his left one towards her grip.

"Do you think you have the power to save the Valley, sheriff?"

Geraldine rattled slightly in her scabbard as Mao Mao gripped her. "I know I do."

Flipping the spear to hold it with a reverse grip, Snugglemagne held the polearm over his shoulder and prepared a javelin throw. He let himself grin, and his eyes snapped to his left. He pulled his arm back then quickly turned his body counterclockwise, throwing the spear behind himself.

The spear sailed through the air and struck the center of the Ruby Pure Heart’s face.

There was a loud sound of glass shattering, separate from the sound created by the new x-shaped crack on the Ruby Pure Heart. The force field surrounding the kingdom lit up and shattered all at once, raining shards of magenta glass down on the scene below. Waves of magenta light pulsed outward from the Ruby. With each passing sphere of light, the scenery shifted between the present night sky and the morning blue sky Mao Mao left behind that day. In addition, the physical forms of everyone in the courtyard also shifted from their current states to their original bodies. Even Mao Mao’s figure was not safe from repeatedly losing and regaining its tail.

At the same time, Badgerclops and Adorabat screamed as they gripped the sides of their heads. The two deputies doubled over, kneeling with their foreheads on the ground. Their faces contorted to express the immense pain they were experiencing. The guards on the walls behaved the same way, unleashing a cacophony of pained cries. The only two people exempt from this phenomenon were Mao Mao and Snugglemagne.

Adorabat covered her head with her wings, but that didn’t stop her voice from reaching everyone in the courtyard. The ground beneath her vibrated, her voice reverberating throughout the entire Ruby Pure Heart spire.

Mao Mao bent down and put his left hand on Badgerclops’ right shoulder. “Badgerclops!” he called. “What’s wrong?”

Though his screaming ceased soon after he heard Mao Mao's voice, Badgerclops could barely find the strength to speak. “My head…” The stream of tears running down his cheek thickened as the pain seemed to intensify.

With wide eyes, Mao Mao stared accusingly at Snugglemagne. "What did you do?" he asked.

“I’m trying to save my kingdom.” Snugglemagne turned around to face Mao Mao. He opened his mouth to speak further, but a pain in his bosom stopped him. He clutched his chest hair before falling to his knees, using his left arm for support.

"Your grace!" Mao Mao called. He made a movement to approach his king.

"Stay back!" Snugglemagne shouted, temporarily holding out his right arm to stop Mao Mao. He groaned in pain before returning the paw to his chest. “I haven't much time so listen carefully."

Mao Mao nodded. There were so many more questions to ask, but he would have to save them for later. He didn't doubt Snugglemagne's words, and silently listened to all that his king had to say.

A magenta light began to emanate from Snugglemagne’s chest, right under where his paw was. "I had hoped to deal more damage, but what I've done will have to suffice. The Ruby Pure Heart has significantly weakened since it pulled us into this world of lies. Even still, I can feel it trying to take hold of me. It will try to use me to stop you. Do not falter! Do whatever it takes to save my kingdom! Promise me, sheriff!”

“I promise,” Mao Mao responded without missing a beat. “I’ll save everyone.”

“Then I shall leave the rest to you…” Snugglemagne grinned despite the pain.

“... Mao Mao.”

The light shining beneath Snugglemagne's paw blinded Mao Mao as it consumed his king. He turned his head to the left and covered his eyes with his right arm to block as much of the light as he could. A strong wind threatened to push Mao Mao onto his back, but he leaned forward and kept his footing. After about ten seconds the wind and light died down, so Mao Mao lowered his arm. The sight that greeted him raised his gaze and dropped his jaw.

Magenta particles rose slowly from the ground, floating into the sky like snow in reverse. Above the newly-cracked Ruby Pure Heart, the sky was a tri-color marble swirl of the night sky, the morning sky, and a new magenta sky. The colors moved around slowly, drifting in and out of each other but never fully mixing. The colors remained separated, just like water and oil. No clouds floated overhead, giving everyone a clear view of the twisted sky.

Mao Mao returned his gaze to the ground as he heard Badgerclops groan. The badger's right arm was intact, which prompted him to confirm that his own tail was also still brushing against his cape. He knelt down and tilted his head to his right in order to get a better look at his friend's face. Badgerclops was wincing but no longer crying. Still, he made sure to speak carefully in case loud noises could trigger another headache.

“Badgerclops,” Mao Mao said softly. “Are you okay?”

Gripping the side of his head with his right hand, Badgerclops propped himself up with his left arm. He shook his head and groaned, but cut himself off and opened his eye wide. He slowly moved his right hand in front of his face and stared at it. His hand trembled slightly and his mouth hung open.

"Badgerclops?" Mao Mao asked, starting to worry.

"Oh, I get it," Badgerclops mumbled. He seemed to relax after reaching whatever conclusion he came to.

“Get what?”

“I have all of my memories again.”

Mao Mao wasn't expecting that answer, and delivered so casually at that. He didn't know whether to be shocked or happy. He settled on letting his eyes nearly bulge out of his head as a means of expressing his emotions. “A… are you sure?”

“Yeah, dude.” Badgerclops was still holding his hand in front of his face. "But it’s weird. Like, my old memories took priori—”

“What a fool...” two voices said simultaneously.

Mao Mao turned his head to the right, towards the source of the voices. Badgerclops lifted his head and looked forward at the same thing Mao Mao saw. As much as the two of them wanted to celebrate and figure out more of the situation, there was a more immediate problem that needed their attention.

The light Snugglemagne was emitting had faded. Splitting the hair on his chest was a magenta, ruby heart. There was a ruby gauntlet on each of his paws, rising only about halfway up his forearm. Protecting his shoulders were triangular ruby shoulder pads. The longest side of the shoulder pad faced up while the inner corner connected to the other shoulder pad via a ruby chain. Flowing behind him connected to his shoulder pads was a thin magenta cape. Despite its fabric-like movements, the cape appeared to be made of ruby. Completing his look was a pair of magenta leg guards flanking a matching loincloth. Every piece of armor sparkled, reflecting the light of the sunless sky. He lifted his head and glared at Mao Mao with purple irises, the glows of which were not a trick of the light this time.

“... I shall finish this myself.”

Both voices Mao Mao heard came from the same mouth. Snugglemagne’s voice was there but overpowering it was a second, whispering voice.

Mao Mao scowled at the figure before him. It was clear to him that Snugglemagne wasn’t fully there anymore, but he wasn’t sure to what extent. All that he knew for sure was that the Ruby Pure Heart had taken hold of his king’s heart.

The air stirred around Ruby Snugglemagne as he conjured a ruby longsword into his right paw. The magenta particles near him swirled around his body. He leaned forward, bending his right knee and extending his left leg backwards. The moment his sword was fully materialized, a dust cloud was kicked up as he charged at Mao Mao. One strong push of his legs was all he needed to close the distance.

Mao Mao brought out Geraldine and was about to unsheath her. The speed Ruby Snugglemagne was moving at would make it close, but he was sure he could block the blow.

From the heavens, a new force stopped Ruby Snugglemagne's advance. The ground cracked beneath Orangusnake’s feet as he landed about a meter away from Mao Mao. In sync with his landing, he brought his axe straight down in front of him.

Strands of red fur flew into the air as Orangusnake's axe just barely shaved Ruby Snugglemagne's chest. The king managed to stop himself just in time to lean away from the path of the axe head.

The instant his axe made contact with the stone ground, Orangusnake spun his body a full circuit clockwise to deliver a horizontal slash to his target.

Ruby Snugglemagne jumped backwards and landed in the same spot he started. He grit his teeth as he analyzed his new opponent.

Orangusnake’s final pose saw him with his right arm outstretched to the side and his left foot forward. The armor covering his left knee was missing. His cape had several errant tears and holes, and the bottom was burnt and tattered. Despite that, he looked no less ready for a fight. He straightened his posture, lowering his right arm and raising his left one. He pointed an accusing finger at Ruby Snugglemagne.

“Don’t you _dare_ hurt my friends!” Orangusnake declared.

Mao Mao was once again at a loss for words. He was relieved to see Orangusnake alive and well, the villain’s strength giving him even more confidence for the battle ahead. The arrival was welcome, no matter how unexpected. “Orangusnake!”

“Miss me?” Orangusnake asked with a grin.

"How did you get here?"

"I flew the aerocycle!"

"Wait, where i—" Mao Mao flinched as the sound of the aerocycle's crash into a nearby hedge startled him. He looked to his right and saw the aerocycle bounce along the ground before it made contact with one of the castle's walls. 

Orangusnake looked over his shoulder at Mao Mao, grinning bashfully while he shrugged. He quickly returned his attention to the enemy in front of him. "So what's _his_ deal?" he asked in reference to Ruby Snugglemagne.

"The Ruby Pure Heart possessed the king," Mao Mao said as he rose to his feet.

"What do you wanna do about him?"

Mao Mao couldn't give an answer immediately. He wanted to explore more options than the most expedient one, but so much had happened in the last few minutes that he couldn’t focus his thoughts very well.

The sound of Adorabat screaming interrupted everyone's trains of thought. While Badgerclops had successfully recovered, Adorabat was still feeling the effects of whatever Snugglemagne did. Her shrieks were even more intense than they were before, and they were only getting louder. Everyone else covered their ears in an attempt to deaden the sound, but it was a fruitless effort. The vibrations caused by her voice were becoming increasingly violent and widespread. Those on the top of the spire soon lost their balance. Everyone dropped to the ground, at the mercy of Adorabat’s voice.

Then, Adorabat let out the loudest scream she’d ever made, straight down into the Ruby Pure Heart spire.

Adorabat’s body slumped to the ground as she lost consciousness. The ground beneath her was the first to crack, the lines blooming out from under her to spread across the entire ground. The spire was beginning to crumble. Large chunks of rock fell from the sides of the spire. The Ruby Pure Heart itself started tilting backwards, taking the top of the spire with it. The ground was splitting apart, causing Ruby Snugglemagne to drift away from everyone else.

Thinking fast, Mao Mao whistled for the aerocycle. Before the angle got too steep, he and Badgerclops hopped on the bike. “Orangusnake, can you get Adorabat?” he asked.

“Already on it!” Orangusnake replied as he tried to get his footing on the increasingly-steep ground. His efforts paid off when he picked Adorabat up with his left arm.

The base of the spire crumbled next, bringing everyone closer to the ground at an alarming speed. Orangusnake nearly slipped, but he managed to run back to the aerocycle just in time for the rock beneath them to split apart. As the aerocycle fell, Orangusnake sandwiched Adorabat between himself and Badgerclops. The three of them held onto whatever they could as Mao Mao maneuvered around the falling rocks. The aerocycle as well as Orangusnake got clipped once or twice, but Mao Mao managed to fly them all clear of the crumbling spire.

Mao Mao stared at the Ruby Pure Heart as it fell to the ground. He thought about Ruby Snugglemagne, the guards, and anyone else who may have been in the palace before it spun uncontrollably through the air, pieces getting chipped away by the forceful impacts with large chunks of rock. He shook his head free of those thoughts, then flew the aerocycle towards the Sky Pirates’ airship.

* * *

On the deck of the airship, Orangusnake lifted Adorabat off of the aerocycle. Mao Mao and Badgerclops followed the villain below deck. The ship hummed with life, the sounds doing little to disturb the sleeping bat. At Orangusnake’s suggestion, they all headed for the lounge.

The room was lit with the white incandescent bulbs attached to the ceiling, as well as the assorted rainbow fairy lights hanging around the bar’s perimeter. There was a lot less alcohol on the shelves than Mao Mao remembered. The couches, as well as the table between them, were clean and free of any card games. 

Mao Mao sat down on the left couch, crossing his legs and removing his leg guards to get comfortable. Orangusnake placed Adorabat to his left, guiding her head into his lap. Soon Adorabat’s legs were up on the couch, and Mao Mao was acting as an impromptu pillow for her. He rubbed her left shoulder as a means of comforting her in her sleep, as well as soothe his own soul after the day he had.

Badgerclops sat across from Mao Mao and kicked his feet up on the table. He forced out a loud sigh. “ _Please_ don’t make me get up for at least an hour.”

“We’ll see,” Mao Mao said.

“Rough day, huh?” Orangusnake asked, standing to Mao Mao’s right with his hands on his hips.

“You could say that again,” Mao Mao said with a smile. "Where are the others?"

"Hoss took a nasty hit to the head so he's in his bed," Orangusnake said. "Ramaraffe is keeping an eye on him. Ratarang is with Rufus and Reggie… somewhere on the ship. I was in a bit of a rush to get to you guys and I didn't check. The old girl's still in one piece so I'm not too worried about them." Orangusnake pointed a thumb behind himself. “What happened up there, anyway?”

“Oh, y’know. Adorabat ambushed us, the king stopped her, he told us about how the Ruby Pure Heart has us all trapped in some sort of pocket dimension, he used the Ruby’s power to break it, everyone got their memories back, and the king att—” Mao Mao cut himself off when he realized something. “Wait a second. Orangusnake, did you get your memories back?”

Mao Mao and Badgerclops both looked at the villain with wide eyes.

Orangusnake seemed surprised, as if he thought Mao Mao and Badgerclops already knew. "Well, Rufus and Reggie flew the aerocycle into town so that we could all escape. The only ones missing were you two. So I took the aerocycle up to the Ruby Pure Heart." He pushed a breath out of his nose and grinned. "The headaches almost made me crash. So, yeah… I kind of got my memories back, as well. And I figured I'd pick you guys up since I was already on the way…" He scratched the back of his head and blushed.

"... on the way to save my friends," he finished with a smile.

Mao Mao's emotions were once again thrown for a loop. He wasn't just looking at Orangusnake the villain, he was looking at his archnemesis. His sworn enemy saved his life and called him a friend.

"I know we haven't always seen eye-to-eye—"

Badgerclops scoffed. "I think trying to chop each other's heads off more than once goes beyond a little disagreement."

"... but I meant what I said before," Orangusnake continued, ignoring Badgerclops' interjection. "Nothing will change the fact that I consider you my friends. Plus, this Ruby Pure Heart is turning out to be a real pain in the butt. There's no point in fighting you while we've still got a Valley to save."

The choice of words stuck out to Mao Mao. "Are you saying…?"

"Maybe…" Orangusnake rubbed his nose and broke eye contact to look to his right, "maybe being a hero isn't so bad after all."

Hearing the word that kickstarted her journey seemed to have been the catalyst for Adorabat’s awakening. Her eyes fluttered open, locking straight onto Orangusnake. “Huh?”

“Adorabat!” Mao Mao said excitedly. “How are you feeling?”

Adorabat sniffled, then looked up at Mao Mao. Tears sat at the corners of her eyes. “I’m sorry, Mao Mao,” she said with a shaky voice.

Mao Mao softly hushed Adorabat. “It’s okay, Adorabat.”

“But I almost—”

“But you didn’t. Right?” Mao Mao smiled down at Adorabat. “Can you sit up?”

Adorabat pushed herself upright, then scooted closer to Mao Mao. She rested her head on Mao Mao’s left shoulder. “So, is Orangusnake a good guy now?”

“Not quite,” Mao Mao returned his gaze to Orangusnake, "but he’s got what it takes."

"I don't expect you to just let me have the title, of course, but I'll prove that I can be an even better hero than you."

"Oh, is that how it's gonna be?" Mao Mao raised an eyebrow and smiled.

Orangusnake leaned towards Mao Mao and grinned. "Got a problem with that, sheriff?"

The two smiled at each other for a moment before Mao Mao leaned back into the couch. "Let’s deal with the Ruby Pure Heart first. Now that we’re all here, we can talk strategy.”

“Because that went _so_ well last time,” Badgerclops said, playfully rolling his eyes.

“Don’t worry, this'll be a much simpler plan.”

“Will it? Do we even know what the Ruby Pure Heart is capable of?”

Mao Mao knew Badgerclops had a point. Even after they had come so far, they were in the dark on so many details. “Well, let’s see if we can pool together what we know.”

“I don’t know Mao Mao,” Adorabat said, “it’s kind of hard for me to pinpoint when all of this started. I have a lifetime’s worth of memories in my head. But you’ve had your memories all along, right? What was the first thing you remember? What kind of life did the Ruby Pure Heart give you?”

Mao Mao didn’t have to think very hard. The memory of waking up disrobed next to Badgerclops was a moment he wouldn’t forget any time soon. He looked across the table at Badgerclops, hoping the badger would take the reigns of the conversation.

Badgerclops opened his eye briefly then looked to his right, turning his head away from Mao Mao.

“What’s wrong?” Adorabat asked, sensing the tension between her two friends.

Orangusnake successfully read the room and decided to help his friends out. "Adorabat, why don't you and I go check up on Hoss?"

Adorabat raised an eyebrow. "What? Why?"

"I can tell you all about how Mao Mao and Badgerclops defeated an invisible monster."

"Okay!" As if she wasn't resting a minute ago, Adorabat hopped off the couch and stood next to Orangusnake.

"You kids behave while we're gone, all right?" Orangusnake winked at Mao Mao before leaving the room, giving Mao Mao and Badgerclops some privacy.

Mao Mao sighed as the door closed behind Orangusnake. He moved his elbows to his thighs and slouched, resting his jaw on his palms. He knew what he _wanted_ to say, and he knew what he _had_ to say, but that didn't make it any easier.

Badgerclops seemed equally uncomfortable. He crossed his legs and tapped his feet against the air, looking everywhere except at Mao Mao.

Mao Mao didn't like this silence. It was an awkward silence that he had never shared with Badgerclops before. In all their years together, the idea of being romantically involved with anyone, let alone each other, never came up. And yet, through their most recent adventure together, all of their feelings were on the table and known to each other. He was certain that Badgerclops also pieced together the significance of them waking up next to each other. They may as well skip this conversation with how transparent they've been with each other. There was nothing holding either of them back anymore.

 _That's right,_ Mao Mao thought. _There's nothing holding me back. I can do this… and I know exactly how I'm gonna do it._ He stood up and walked over to the bar.

To the right of the counter was a colorful jukebox. Red wood was surrounded by green and yellow tubes of light, and the green LCD display was active and awaiting input. The jukebox was entirely digital, so perhaps it was more of an overgrown MP3 player, but the sentiment was there. Mao Mao cycled through the music before he found the correct song. The jukebox began emitting a soft, piano ballad accompanied by a female singer. Violins faded in for the intro, then gave the spotlight to the female singer.

Mao Mao moved to Badgerclops’ left. He stood in the large, empty space next to the couch and held out his right hand. “Care to join me?”

Badgerclops smirked. “Oh, _now_ you wanna make up for the pet prom?”

“Just get up and come over here,” Mao Mao said, rolling his eyes and smiling back.

Doing as he was told, Badgerclops reluctantly stepped away from the couch and took Mao Mao’s right hand in his left. He then moved his right hand to Mao Mao’s shoulder, holding their joined hands out to their sides.

Mao Mao wrapped his arm around Badgerclops’ torso as best he could. With the unit complete, the two rocked from side to side and slowly spun around the open floor. Mao Mao stared up at Badgerclops’ face with a smile that the badger returned in equal measure. They took a moment to enjoy the music, the dance, the closeness that was familiar yet brand new.

"… We've been doing this for a long time, haven't we?" Mao Mao asked.

"Doing what?"

"Dancing… around our feelings."

Badgerclops opened his eye, then sputtered out a laugh. "Wow, dude. That’s the corniest thing I’ve ever heard you say."

Mao Mao smiled. He rested the left side of his head against Badgerclops and closed his eyes. "The experience has paid off. This is nice. We had those silly little ditties, but I think this is the first time we've danced together like this."

"Could’ve been the second.”

“I know. You deserved that dance.”

“That’s right!” Badgerclops turned his snout up.

“Just think of this as the first of many.” Mao Mao unwound himself from Badgerclops, keeping his right hand joined with his friend’s left. With their arms outstretched, they were as far apart as Mao Mao ever wanted them to be again.

“If… you’ll have me.”

Badgerclops gave Mao Mao’s fingers a light squeeze, raising their hands slightly. He pulled Mao Mao in, the feline spinning and wrapping himself in Badgerclops’ left arm. He then dipped his dance partner nearly horizontally.

Mao Mao wasn’t expecting the sudden drop, and his blush brightened as his eyes widened. “Don’t dip me so low.” He found himself smiling as the words left his mouth.

Badgerclops feigned an apology. “Oh, sorry.” His sly grin made his intentions clear. “I must have forgotten. Here, let me lift you up.” He tilted Mao Mao’s upper body towards him slightly while keeping his own head in place. He held the back of Mao Mao’s head with his right hand for support. “How’s that?”

“… A little more.”

Badgerclops complied, bringing Mao Mao’s face mere centimeters away from his own. “How about now?” he asked in a low, soft voice.

Mao Mao’s eyes darted down to Badgerclops’ mouth for a split second. He then moved his left hand up to Badgerclops’ right cheek. “I think you’ve got one more in you.”

Both Mao Mao and Badgerclops were catching glances at each other’s lips until the moment they connected. They closed their eyes in unison—sight was no longer necessary as they could see everything so clearly already. Neither of them had ever kissed each other before, but their mouths seemed to instinctively know how to fit together perfectly.

Years of repressed desires rolled down their cheeks. Mao Mao was the first to let his tears fall, followed very closely by Badgerclops. The catharsis brought on by their kiss froze their bodies in place. Their legs did not move, their grips did not tighten, their lips did not make way for their tongues. They wanted this moment to last exactly as it was, and last it did. But no matter how much time passed, it was never going to be enough. They would have to make up for it later.

Badgerclops retracted his lips, but kept his face less than a centimeter away from Mao Mao’s.

Mao Mao slowly opened his eyes, a smile soon returning to his face. He let Badgerclops wipe the tears from under his left eye, and he did the same for Badgerclops’ right.

They stared into each other’s eyes in silence before pulling each other in once more.

* * *

Mao Mao and Badgerclops walked across the deck of the airship towards Adorabat and Orangusnake. The sky was the same, twisted swirl of colors that inspired no pleasant feelings in the four warriors.

Adorabat greeted her friends excitedly, while Orangusnake opted for a calmer smile.

"There you are!" Adorabat jumped in place and waved a wing. "What took you guys so long, and why couldn't I be there? Did you two fight?"

"No, it's fine, Adorabat," Mao Mao said. "Badgerclops and I just had a rather important conversation, is all." He looked up at his partner and smiled.

Adorabat cocked her head. "About what?"

"About… the way he and I woke up together."

Whether it was due to the maturity brought on by her implanted memories, or the fact that she's known them for so long, Adorabat knew what Mao Mao meant. She gasped loudly. "Are you two going out?"

"As of a few minutes ago…" Badgerclops started.

"... yeah," Mao Mao finished, holding Badgerclops' right hand.

Adorabat was on the verge of crying once again. She threw herself into the arms of her friends and initiated a sheriff's department group hug.

"I'm happy for you two," Orangusnake said. "Especially you, Mao Mao."

"Why's that?"

Orangusnake clenched his right fist in front of his face. "Because now our matches will be even!"

Mao Mao laughed as the hug came to an end. "We're not gonna have many more of those if we don't save the Valley."

"Got that right," Badgerclops said.

"Let's go!" Adorabat shouted.

"I appreciate the positivity, but we still don't have the slightest clue about what we're walking into," Orangusnake said.

“That’s okay,” Mao Mao said.

"What?” Orangusnake raised an eyebrow. “Did you _see_ what happened to the king? What if the Ruby Pure Heart gives him a rocket launcher or something?”

“Hmm, good point,” Adorabat said. “And we still don't know why Mao Mao woke up with his memories." 

"I think I know now." Mao Mao clenched his right fist against his chest. "And I know what I have to do."

Orangusnake let his shoulders slump. "We don't have a choice do we?"

Mao Mao nodded and turned his gaze to the kingdom. "We have to destroy the Ruby Pure Heart."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! A lot happened in this chapter. Were you surprised, or did you figure everything out on your own? And how about that kiss, eh? As always, Hekmugi deserves many thanks for beta-reading!
> 
> Comments? Criticisms? Don't be afraid to let me know what you think down in the box below!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hekmugi beta-read this chapter! Enjoy!

The kingdom was destroyed. The palace no longer towered over the kingdom’s denizens, and the crown jewel of the Valley no longer cast its shadow on the town below. Magenta particles rose slowly towards the tri-color sky, their paths unabated by the destruction around them. Homes, stores, and streets alike were crushed under the debris Adorabat’s scream had caused. From the main plaza just beyond the stone entryway, the Ruby Pure Heart could be seen laying on its right side, the left half cresting the partially collapsed buildings between it and its opponents.

Mao Mao, Badgerclops, Adorabat, and Orangusnake stood shoulder-to-shoulder in the fountain plaza. They stared silently at the fountain, which was still producing water despite the spout being broken in half. The surrounding area likewise had taken little damage due to its distance from the spire, but the four of them knew the destruction would only get worse as they neared their objective.

The three members of the sheriff’s department were all staring intently at the fountain, clearly lost in their thoughts. Orangusnake waited patiently for them to finish their business. Though there was a time where destroying the kingdom and terrorizing its citizens was not beneath him, the villain mused, he cared about his friends more than anything else. Since the place was important to them, he was going to do his best to respect their feelings. He nearly let out a laugh by accident, thinking about how differently he saw Pure Heart Valley after the time he spent with Mao Mao and Badgerclops. After having made so many attempts on one another's lives, and routinely foiling his plans, the prospect of saving the Valley with them made him smile.

That smile waned when he noticed one of the heroes was less composed than the others. “Adorabat? What’s the matter?”

The chiropteran deputy was wrapped in her own wings, her biological cloak doing little to hide the vacant stare in her eyes. She was snapped out of her stupor by Orangusnake’s words, and looked up at the villain with the light returned to her eyes. Her mouth opened as if she wanted to say something, but she instead glanced to the side before returning her attention to the fountain. “Nothing,” she said quietly.

Mao Mao and Badgerclops both took notice of this behavior. The feline sheriff bent forward slightly and tried to get Adorabat to look at him. “C’mon, you can te—” 

“Let’s just go, okay?” Adorabat walked past the fountain without engaging Mao Mao further.

Not one to let such behavior phase him, Mao Mao mentally assured himself that she would open up eventually. “It’s about time we got a move on, anyway.”

The four warriors walked through the ruins of the kingdom on their way to the Ruby Pure Heart. Bright, pastel colors were replaced with varying shades of gray. All of the energy had been taken away, crushed under the boulders and rubble that littered the ground. Roads previously accessible by car could not even be walked along, delaying their advance as they were forced to make several detours.

They passed a number of the kingdom's denizens as they traversed the town. Some sweetypies were trying to pull their loved ones out from under the rubble, which Orangusnake and Badgerclops did their best to clear. Others cried and comforted each other over their losses, knowing they could never go back to the way things used to be. For many, life in Pure Heart Valley had come to a screeching halt.

The sound of one particular sweetypie's wails reached Adorabat's ears before anyone else's. She peeled off from the group and searched the nearby houses until she found who she was looking for.

Adorabat approached carefully. "Chubbum?"

Sitting at the bottom of a staircase in a house without a roof was the frog-like sweetypie Adorabat correctly identified. Chubbum had his face in his hands, but that wasn't stopping the tears from rolling down his arms. Hearing a familiar voice call his name, he lifted his head to answer. "Adorabat? What are you doing here?"

"Me? What about you?"

Chubbum sniffled before responding. “I lost my daddy. I don’t know where he is.”

Though Adorabat’s pulse was rising, she kept her cool. “Well you won’t find him sitting here, will you?”

“No, I… I guess not.”

“C’mon.” Adorabat held out her right wing. “I passed Muffins on the way here. You should stay with her until we can help you find your dad. Is that okay?”

Chubbum nodded. He gripped Adorabat’s wing tightly and let her lead him out to one of the main roads. They saw Mao Mao, Badgerclops, and Orangusnake further down the road, but they didn’t stop to talk to them. They walked in the other direction, back the way Adorabat came, for about a minute until they found the yellow, mouse-like sweetypie.

Muffins stood on the side of the road, cradling her baby in her arms. She was so preoccupied that she almost didn’t notice Adorabat and Chubbum approaching until they were nearly upon her. “Hello, you two,” she said, her voice lacking its usual pep.

“Hi, Muffins,” Adorabat said in an equally flat tone. “Can Chubbum hang out with you for a while? He got separated from his dad.”

“Of course! Come here, deary.” Muffins shifted her baby to be supported solely by her left arm so she could offer her right one to Chubbum.

Chubbum stared at the ground as he approached the motherly sweetypie. He held Muffins’ hand and stood by her side. “Thanks, Adorabat,” he said without lifting his head.

Adorabat put on a smile for Chubbum even though he couldn’t see it. “Don’t worry, Chubbum. Everything’s gonna be all right soon enough.”

“Are you going off to fight whatever did this?” Muffins asked.

“Yeah.”

“Well then, please come back safely.”

Adorabat turned her back to Muffins and waved over her shoulder. “I’ll make sure we all come back safely.” With that farewell, she left the sweetypies behind and reunited with her friends. She walked with her head held high so as to not worry the sweetypies who were relying on her.

Mao Mao, Badgerclops, and Orangusnake were all waiting for her. Badgerclops spoke up first. “Yo! You shouldn’t just walk off like that.”

“This is my fault."

Badgerclops opened his eye and Orangusnake widened both of his, but Mao Mao only lowered his gaze slightly.

"I caused all of this."

“What? No dude,” Badgerclops said, “you can’t blame yourself for any of this.”

“It was my scream that destroyed the spire. All of these people got hurt because of m—”

Mao Mao put his left hand on her right shoulder to interrupt her. “... Because of the Ruby Pure Heart.” He looked straight into her eyes as he spoke. “Don’t waste your energy beating yourself up—you’ll need it to fight the Ruby Pure Heart.”

Adorabat’s eyes became misty and she was about to object, but an explosion in the distance caused everyone in the area to flinch. They all turned their heads towards the location of the Ruby Pure Heart, where a new round of rubble had just been thrown into the air.

“That can’t be good,” Orangusnake said.

“Come on, y’all,” Mao Mao said. “Let’s finish this.”

Those with Mao Mao nodded and quickly made their way through the ruined town towards the site of the final battle.

* * *

The three members of the sheriff's department, accompanied by the leader of the Sky Pirates, finally stood face-to-face with their final opponent. The Ruby Pure Heart was sitting on a pile of rubble, a large piece in the back keeping the gemstone upright. Its face was scarred by the two cracks both Mao Mao as well as Snugglemagne caused respectively. It was still in one piece, however, and by Mao Mao's standards that wouldn't do.

Ruby Snugglemagne stood in the center of a large clearing, one likely caused by the explosion earlier. Though less uniform in shape, the size of the exposed beige ground was similar to the area that the spectral dragon was encountered in. Surrounding the arena was a combination of destroyed buildings and the rocks that damaged them. He stared up at the Ruby Pure Heart, which sat opposite of the path leading up to it.

While Badgerclops and Orangusnake drew their weapons and Adorabat prepared to throw one of her projectiles, Mao Mao took two steps forward with clenched fists. "No more games," Mao Mao said to his opponent. “We’re ending this here and now.”

"How…?" Ruby Snugglemagne clenched his fists.

No one spoke up. They waited for Ruby Snugglemagne to continue.

Ruby Snugglemagne threw his right arm out as he spun to face Mao Mao. “How did you keep your memories?!” His eyes were wide and his brow was furrowed, as if he were trying to will Mao Mao out of existence.

Mao Mao wouldn’t show it just yet, but he was feeling rather smug about Ruby Snugglemagne’s anger.

“I gave everyone what they wanted! I made their dreams come true!” Ruby Snugglemagne held his arms at his sides, his palms and fingers curled towards the object of his ire. "Everything was going according to plan! But you…! How did this happen?!"

Mao Mao stared into Ruby Snugglemagne's eyes for a moment before speaking. "You know, I've been asking myself the same question since the beginning. It took a while, but I think I understand now." He let himself smirk. "All this time you've been trying to get rid of me, and you still don't know the first thing about me."

Ruby Snugglemagne’s snout twitched.

“It’s true, if I didn't have my memories I would have never left the house I woke up in. But all my life, I’ve held one dream in my heart…” Mao Mao clutched his right fist against his chest, “... My dream of becoming a legendary hero."

The possessed king bore his teeth and growled, knowing full well what that meant.

Mao Mao put his serious face back on and pointed his right index finger at Ruby Snugglemagne. "Face it—you gave me everything I needed to defeat you."

Smoke seemed to shoot out from Ruby Snugglemagne's ears as his gaze bounced around the four warriors in front of him. His whole body shook, and he leaned forward farther the longer it went on. His anger was reaching a boiling point and there was no telling what he was going to do next.

All the tension could be seen leaving Ruby Snugglemagne’s body as his posture slumped. He sighed. “I suppose I did.”

Mao Mao sensed no signs of deception from Ruby Snugglemagne. He was sure that his possessed king truly accepted what he stated as fact.

“I should have known better.” Ruby Snugglemagne straightened his posture and looked Mao Mao in the eyes. “You have sated my curiosity. I’m sure there are answers you yet seek. You may ask me one question in kind.”

“As if I’m going to trust anything you have to say,” Mao Mao said in a low voice.

“Hmph. Very well. I suppose that’s that, then.”

“Indeed.”

Ruby Snugglemagne summoned an executioner’s greatsword as tall as his own body and held it in his right paw. “If you lay down your weapons, I may consider ending this quickly.”

“Heh,” Mao Mao forced a laugh and smirked. “What, afraid of losing?”

Badgerclops stepped up with his pistol at the ready. “Mao Mao, I’m not feeling warm like I used to. I think he’s really at the end of his rope.”

“Good, it means he won’t hold back,” Adorabat cut into the conversation.

“Have you made up your mind?” Orangusnake asked Mao Mao as he took his place at Adorabat’s left. “What do you want to do?”

Holding Geraldine’s scabbard in his right hand, Mao Mao placed his left hand on his blade’s grip. Snugglemagne’s words rang in his mind, and he repeated them aloud. “Don’t falter.”

Orangusnake grunted in affirmation and walked slowly towards Ruby Snugglemagne. “Don’t worry, I’ll make it quick.” With a crazed look in his eyes, his walk turned to a sprint as he approached his target. He held his axe out at his side, then swung for Ruby Snugglemagne’s neck.

The holographic axe collided with the magenta greatsword that Ruby Snugglemagne had braced against his left forearm. “O-ho, this one has quite the attitude,” he taunted with a grin.

Orangusnake snarled as he struggled to break Ruby Snugglemagne's defense. “You know exactly what this is about.”

Ruby Snugglemagne pushed Orangusnake’s axe away, swung his sword around his head, then brought it down diagonally from his right. Orangusnake followed the motion, spinning around before blocking the sword with a backswing. “I know you're a fool for ever thinking you could be a hero.”

"Shut up!" Orangusnake swung his axe wildly at Ruby Snugglemagne, making fast and wide horizontal chops that pushed his opponent backwards with each clash. “I don’t expect to be forgiven. I was a pirate set on world domination. I did a lot of terrible things that I can’t take back. The only thing I can do, the only thing I’m  _ going _ to do, is prove that I have what it takes to become something even greater!”

The pressure was beginning to catch up to Ruby Snugglemagne. Not one to admit weakness, he quit while he was ahead and jumped backward to create distance between himself and Orangusnake.

Dirt flew into the air as the head of Orangusnake’s axe made contact with the ground. He spoke as he slowly lifted his upper body. “Maybe I’ll never be a hero. I’ve accepted that some crimes are too grave to be pardoned. But as long as I have my friends by my side…” He charged at Ruby Snugglemagne with his axe high above his head.

“... I’ll never stop trying!”

Ruby Snugglemagne blocked the overhead attack, his sword supported by both arms. He looked like he was struggling for a moment before he grinned. Behind Orangusnake, an axe made of ruby appeared out of thin air with a burst of magenta particles. It was aimed horizontally at Orangusnake’s waist.

Orangusnake noticed too late.

The axe found metal but not the one it was supposed to. “That’s right!” a deep voice shouted.

Eyes previously clenched shut, Orangusnake peeked behind himself and gasped. “Mao Mao!”

Mao Mao blocked the attack from his left, standing with his back to the villain. "Orangusnake may be a villain through and through, it may take a while, and he may go back to his old ways from time to time, but his friends will always be there to bring him back!"

Both Mao Mao and Orangusnake pushed their assailants back. The ruby axe shattered the instant Ruby Snugglemagne’s sliding came to a stop. Mao Mao moved to Orangusnake’s right and gave the villain a grin.

“Appreciate it,” Orangusnake said, smiling back.

“Don’t celebrate just yet,” Mao Mao said.

“I don’t mean just the save.” Orangusnake maintained his smile as he turned his head towards Ruby Snugglemagne.

Mao Mao’s smile grew as he, too, faced his opponent.

The hero and villain charged their common enemy knowing they had each other’s back. Ruby Snugglemagne showed no sign of backing down; in fact, he held his greatsword with both paws and charged right back towards them. Mao Mao and Orangusnake took turns diving in and out of Ruby Snugglemagne’s reach, alternating their attacks in nearly perfect sync with each other. Ruby Snugglemagne, meanwhile, was perfectly parrying every attack that came his way.

Ruby Snugglemagne broke away from the pair when a yellow broadsword nearly sliced him in twain. Adorabat had attempted a helm splitter, but her sword met only the ground. He tried taking advantage of the opening her landing created, but she quickly backflipped away from his clutches. From his right, Mao Mao once again tried to stab his chest but a twist of his body allowed him to kick the sheriff’s back. Adorabat then threw a kunai at him, which he caught and sent flying towards the unsuspecting sheriff. Orangusnake pushed Mao Mao out of the way, and the kunai bounced off of the villain’s chestplate with no damage done.

Mao Mao, Adorabat, and Orangusnake were all a great distance from each other, no single one of them any better poised for an attack than the others. In the moment of calm, they exchanged quick glances with each other. In unison, all three of them moved in to attack Ruby Snugglemagne. Mao Mao held Geraldine above his head, Adorabat led with her sword as she dove towards the ground, and Orangusnake held his axe across his chest for a backswing.

As if he were preparing for this moment, Ruby Snugglemagne waited until they were upon him before conjuring at least seven greatswords around himself. The ruby weapons then spun rapidly around him in the shape of a dome and stopped any incoming attacks dead in their tracks. Once that was assured, the dome quickly expanded outward to consume his three attackers.

Adorabat managed to fly away unscathed thanks to her aerial mastery. She transformed her leg back into its base form and landed on her two feet without issue. Mao Mao and Orangusnake, however, were not so fortunate. Orangusnake’s arms gained a number of new scratches, but they weren’t very deep. Mao Mao’s sash got a small horizontal cut on the front, his leg guards became noticeably scratched, and his gloves were sliced open in several places. The two of them landed on their backs and took a moment to get back up.

Ruby Snugglemagne was a considerable distance from all three of his targets. He figured that meant he had ample opportunity to plan his next move, so he brought his swords back to his position. What he didn’t expect to hear was a loud, steady tone in his left ear. He turned towards the source of the noise and the sight caused him to hesitate.

Kneeling back at the entrance of the clearing, Badgerclops had just finished charging his railgun.

The swelling blue light at the end of the rails briefly halted Ruby Snugglemagne’s thinking. He recovered fast, however, and moved the swords to his front, creating a makeshift towershield. The attack was completely negated by his shield just in time. The force of the beam caused a loud "thunk" upon making contact with the wall of swords, and Ruby Snugglemagne flinched. He had no idea what kind of power that attack would have had, but he sighed in relief knowing it didn't hit him. He dismissed the swords, the space in front of him filling with magenta particles.

Through the cloud of magenta lept Mao Mao. Geraldine was gripped with both hands and drawn across his chest, already in the middle of a backswing before Ruby Snugglemagne was even aware he was there.

Flustered by the surprise attack, Ruby Snugglemagne barely had time to react. The most he could do was summon a shortsword over his right shoulder and send it flying towards Mao Mao’s head.

The ruby shortsword sliced through the section of cape covering Mao Mao’s left shoulder, but nothing else. He continued his motion unabated, bringing Geraldine closer and closer to Ruby Snugglemagne. He hit his mark as Geraldine audibly made contact with the ruby heart on the possessed king’s chest. He then delivered a roundhouse kick to the same spot he was previously aiming for.

Ruby Snugglemagne was momentarily airborne, then rolled backwards once before he stopped himself a few meters away from his original spot. He brought his right paw to his chest and assessed the damage. There was a large slash mark starting near his left shoulder and going diagonally across his chest. The ruby heart was still intact.

He rose to his feet with confidence. "The damage sustained by this puppet has no effect on me."

Mao Mao balled his empty fist in an attempt to suppress his anger. “The king is  _ not _ a puppet!”

“Hmph. You’re right. Considering his lineage of marionettes, it's shameful how few strings are needed to control him."

The words set Mao Mao off, and sent him running towards Ruby Snugglemagne. In response, the possessed king summoned a stream of swords and sent them flying towards Mao Mao. The feline sheriff bobbed, weaved, and parried all of the blades that threatened to slow his movements. One sword added a cut to the left side of his sash. Another clipped his right cheek. A third cut through the cloth around his right ankle. He nearly stumbled, but he wouldn’t let himself fall. He wouldn’t let any of it stop him.

Less than a meter to go, Mao Mao leapt forward and spun his whole body, creating a cyclone of gold that deflected every sword that came his way. The special move allowed him to quickly close the gap, but his rotations were halted by a new ruby greatsword held in Ruby Snugglemagne’s right paw.

Ruby Snugglemagne looked down at the enraged sheriff with a neutral expression. His eyes flashed to his right when he noticed something behind him. Orangusnake was mid-swing, attempting to take an axe to his neck. He ducked under the axe, and with a sweeping kick knocked the hero and villain off of their feet. Above them he summoned one ruby spear each and thrust the polearms towards their midsections.

Both Mao Mao and Orangusnake dodged the spears by twisting their bodies in midair. They landed safely on the ground and rolled out of the way. The magenta weapons were planted firmly in the ground below, a fact Ruby Snugglemagne was about to use to his advantage.

A distance away, Adorabat aimed her sword at Ruby Snugglemagne’s head and performed a divekick. He gripped one of the spears with both paws and spun himself around it, causing Adorabat’s attack to sail right by and miss him completely. She didn’t let up, however, and quickly flew back to Ruby Snugglemagne’s position. Bringing his spinning to a stop, he pulled the spear out of the ground and began using it to deflect her attacks.

Adorabat’s first attack came from Ruby Snugglemagne’s left, so he held the middle of the spear out to parry the attack. The yellow broadsword grinded against the ruby spear until her left foot also met the polearm. She used the weapon to reorient herself, then frontflipped her sword onto his left shoulder pad. He pivoted his left shoulder back, narrowly avoiding the attack. Despite the miss her attack continued, bringing her sword back up for a backswing. He blocked the kick head-on. She predictably pushed off of the spear, and he swung the spear like a bat at her. Though she wasn’t stabbed, she was hit by the spear and sent flying away as if he just hit a home run. He thought he could finish the job by throwing the spear at her, but before he could get the chance he heard the sound of the second polearm being removed from the ground.

Blocking the attack was a trivial matter, and the spears met in the shape of a cross where they would remain as Ruby Snugglemagne stared down his newest opponent for a moment.

“You know, I should probably thank you for bringing Mao Mao and I together…” Badgerclops smirked, “... but I won’t.”

Thinking he had the upper hand, Ruby Snugglemagne dismissed Badgerclops’ spear. With the badger left disarmed, there was a fraction of a second where he thought there was an advantage to be pressed. Instead, Badgerclops grabbed his spear. In an impressive display of strength, he was thrown over the badger’s shoulders and slammed onto the ground. The unexpected impact loosened his grip, allowing Badgerclops to rip the spear from his paws.

Badgerclops pulled the spear back, ready to stab Ruby Snugglemagne with it. The possessed king dismissed the weapon just before the tip would have met the ruby heart on his chest. Badgerclops stumbled forward, allowing Ruby Snugglemagne to plant a right hook on the badger’s left cheek while simultaneously rising to his feet.

“Ow!” Badgerclops whined as he took a step back, not nearly as much distance as Ruby Snugglemagne was hoping for. He was built like a wall—a very soft, fluffy wall—and would not be brought down so easily. Channeling the pain into power, he pulled his right fist back and aimed for the possessed king’s head. Ruby Snugglemagne dodged to the badger’s left and tried the same move. Badgerclops not only dodged the attack by swinging his left side behind himself, but in the same motion landed a punch on Ruby Snugglemagne’s stomach.

Ruby Snugglemagne let out a grunt as he recoiled from the force of the blow, his feet even leaving the ground for a second. He saw Badgerclops try to punch his head with a left overhead punch, and hopped backwards to dodge it. He followed that up with a punch to the left side of Badgerclops’ chin.

Another whine escaped Badgerclops’ mouth. His eyepatch was facing Ruby Snugglemagne and couldn’t see the possessed king very well. Nonetheless, he pulled himself back into the fight with a punch to Ruby Snugglemagne’s left arm. His opponent stumbled, then aimed a fist at the side of his head. He caught the fist, and his attempt to punch back was also caught. The two of them pushed their paws into each other, both trying to force the other to the ground.

A ruby dagger appeared next to Badgerclops’ head. Ruby Snugglemagne wore a smirk, but that faded when Badgerclops reflected the expression.

Badgerclops crouched slightly, not very far due to his weird leg-to-torso length ratio, but enough for the dagger to sail over his head. He should have been worried about the disadvantage this put him at, but in truth this was part of his plan.

“Fearless Fist!”

Ruby Snugglemagne’s eyes went wide as a red-hot glove made contact with his right eye. Mao Mao had sailed over Badgerclops to deliver the punch, which sent the possessed king rolling across the ground.

Before Ruby Snugglemagne had a chance to recover, Adorabat made her move and tossed a smoke bomb at the possessed king’s feet.

In conjunction with what would assuredly become a black eye, a gray haze obfuscated Ruby Snugglemagne’s vision. He coughed, his lungs not designed to intake the smoke. He rose to his feet but kept his left arm over his mouth. He conjured a ruby longsword in his right paw and tried his best to focus.

“Every bad thing that happened to us was because of you!” Adorabat shouted from somewhere in the smoke.

The first attack came from behind him. Something cut across the fur about halfway up his back, slipping right under his ruby cape. He stumbled forward but quickly recovered despite his coughing fit. He held his sword horizontally in front of his chest and prepared for Adorabat’s next move.

“You broke up Mao Mao and Badgerclops’ friendship!”

His left bicep was scratched by the next attack, the force and recoil turning him to his left.

“You made me hurt my friends because of some stupid jokes!”

A combination of two attacks, one from his right and another from behind. His chest was slashed from the right, and his left thigh was scratched.

“And now, all the sweetypies I swore to protect are in danger!”

Ruby Snugglemagne was forced down to a knee as an attack clipped the back of his right leg.

“You were supposed to protect the Valley, but the only thing you protected was yourself!”

Due to all the movement inside the smoke, the cloud was thinning out. Ruby Snugglemagne tried to hone his senses once more and prepare a counterattack.

Orangusnake’s wicked visage split the cloud of smoke in front of Ruby Snugglemagne. The villain had charged head-first into the smoke, and his face was mere centimeters away from that of the possessed king. His eyes were narrow, his smile was impish, and his right fist was pulled back.

"Getting on our bad side was the last mistake you'll ever make!" Orangusnake shouted.

Before Ruby Snugglemagne could react, Orangusnake delivered a single uppercut to the royal chin, sending the possessed king flying straight up into the air. A trail of smoke briefly followed Ruby Snugglemagne as he backflipped uncontrollably into the air, the punch sending him several meters above the ground. At the apex of his ascent he managed to stabilize himself, staring straight up into the sky. Before he had the chance to adjust himself further, he felt something pinch the nape of his cape. Within the same second he felt himself get pulled sharply to his right. He tried reaching behind his head for whatever had a grip on him, but as his horizontal velocity increased he found it more difficult to keep his arms up.

On the ground, it was Badgerclops who had hooked onto Ruby Snugglemagne’s cape. He then began spinning the possessed king in a clockwise rotation. He had to buy himself some time.

"You guys didn't tell me we were doing this ‘shout a cool line at the villain’ thing, gimme a sec.” Badgerclops brought his free hand to his chin and hummed to himself, absorbed in thought. He continued to swing Ruby Snugglemagne through the air as he pondered the dilemma before him. After a few seconds he snapped his fingers and spun Ruby Snugglemagne even faster.

“Begone, foul miscreation!"

Upon finishing his line, he released his hold on Ruby Snugglemagne's cape and threw the possessed king like a baseball towards the Ruby Pure Heart.

Ruby Snugglemagne hit the dead center of the cross-shaped crack that Snugglemagne's spear had made, turning it into something more akin to a crater. Shards of the Ruby Pure Heart flew away from the impact spot. When the dust cleared, he could be seen laying motionless where he landed.

Black, feline feet moved to the center of the clearing. Mao Mao held a sheathed Geraldine in his right hand. Out of the corner of his eye he could see his compatriots rush to his side, a gesture at which Mao Mao held his left arm out to stop. "This is  _ my _ mistake to fix. I started this… and I will end it.”

The three behind him stood stunned for a moment.

Orangusnake was the first to speak. “You want all the glory for yourself, huh?” he said with a sigh. “Fine, I guess you’ve earned it.”

“Make this the coolest, biggest attack ever!” Adorabat cheered.

Badgerclops rolled his eye, but grinned all the same. “You always  _ were _ a showoff. Go get ‘em, babe!”

Mao Mao spread his legs and lowered his stance. He slowly moved his left hand to Geraldine's handle. “With this final attack, I send a warning to all those who would threaten the peace we’ve worked so hard to maintain: this Valley is under the protection of the bravest souls on the planet, and we will do whatever it takes to stop you.” He narrowed his gaze, keeping his eyes locked on the last enemy in his path to becoming a legendary hero. “Prepare yourself, Ruby Pure Heart," he said, lowering his voice. "You’re about to grant your final wish.”

He closed his eyes and firmly placed his right thumb on Geraldine’s hilt, the leather of his glove crinkling under the pressure. He thought about all the memories he had made up until that point. He thought about how much stronger he had become. He thought about what was at stake. Every detail, every feeling, every moment, it all converged at the single point that was his left hand.

The moment he gripped her handle, he extended his thumb and pushed out a sliver of her blade. From the centimeter of gold that was revealed, impossibly bright rays of white light nearly blinded everyone in the vicinity. That, however, would only last a moment.

The spot where Mao Mao once stood was suddenly empty, a cloud of dust spreading out across the ground. In his place was a streak of white light that moved at a breakneck speed towards the Ruby Pure Heart. Without that indicator, there would have been no trace of his path from the center of the arena to a piece of rubble behind the Ruby Pure Heart. He stood still and nearly vertical, but his form remained unchanged. He moved again, this time the trail of light leading to some rubble on the Ruby Pure Heart’s right. With each new position, his movements became faster. It was impossible to count how many times he bounced around the Ruby Pure Heart, but nothing about its appearance seemed to change. He reached such a high speed that the lights around the Ruby Pure Heart appeared as solid, uninterrupted white lines.

With one last dash, Mao Mao propelled himself straight up. He rose to a height double the Ruby's own and yet his eyes remained closed, his hands remained still. To all who could bear witness to the scene, the light emanating from Geraldine strongly resembled a moon that highlighted Mao Mao’s position in the sky. Calmly, almost a whisper, did he recite the name of his final attack.

“Lunar…”

This was it. This was the moment that would cement his place in history. This was the moment that would make him a legend. He had been preparing for this, going through thousands of names for this final attack. He finally settled on one that described the attack perfectly.

“... Flash.”

Geraldine clicked into her scabbard, and the light behind Mao Mao disappeared. As if in exchange for that loss of light, the Ruby Pure Heart was alight with an innumerable amount of glowing white slash marks. The glows intensified to an unsafe degree, until suddenly the Ruby Pure Heart exploded, consuming the entire Valley in a dome of white light.

* * *

Mao Mao’s descent was swift, and his landing rough. He bounced twice before sliding the rest of the distance backwards on his stomach. Friction was what brought an end to his movement, and he laid motionless on the ground with Geraldine’s scabbard still gripped in his right hand. The fabrics covering his body had several holes in them, his leg guards were scuffed to the point that the ridges were nearly invisible, and his fur was heavily decorated with scratches. Seconds passed, his torn cape fluttering slightly in the gentle breeze that passed over him, until his arms twitched.

He groaned as he moved his hands towards his body and struggled to prop himself up. The task proved too arduous, and his face returned to the ground. He managed to move his head, and used that range of motion to look ahead of himself.

The rubble that the Ruby Pure Heart once sat on was no more than pebbles. In the center of that ring of rocks was Snugglemagne, who lay face-down and motionless. The ruby armor that once protected his body was disintegrating, particles of gold rising into the sky.

_ The sky… _

Mao Mao’s eyes went wide. More of his strength returned to him when he noticed the sky. He slowly pushed himself off the ground despite the pain it caused him. The struggle ended after a few moments. He caught his breath with deep, audible inhales, which was his excuse for letting his mouth hang open as he looked up.

The last traces of black and magenta were slowly dissolving, giving way to a sky of daytime blue.

Behind Mao Mao, Badgerclops and Adorabat rubbed their heads as they tried to stand. They stared down at themselves in shock as they, too, were glowing gold. Badgerclops’ right arm and Adorabat’s entire body seemed to be fading away, rising into the restored sky piece-by-piece.

Out of the corner of his eyes, Mao Mao noticed a glow on himself as well. He moved his cape aside and gently held the culprit in his left hand. His tail was slowly disappearing before his eyes. He looked down at it with a soft frown. “Goodbye, old friend,” he said, his voice carrying a twinge of sadness.

“Mao Mao!” three voices behind him called in unison.

He turned around to see Badgerclops and Adorabat just the way he remembered them. His cyborg partner and five-year-old apprentice beamed smiles at him from the other side of the clearing. Orangusnake did not go through any physical changes, but stood beside them all the same. All three of them made their way over to Mao Mao as fast as possible.

Mao Mao smiled weakly. He dragged his feet as he walked towards his friends.

The three of them stopped less than a meter away from Mao Mao. They observed his condition and were inwardly worried, but more than that were glad he was okay.

Badgerclops stepped away from the two friends flanking him and approached Mao Mao. They stared into each other’s eyes with only a few centimeters separating them.

Mao Mao dropped Geraldine at his side and leaned into Badgerclops, allowing the deputy to embrace him gently. He closed his eyes and moved his face into Badgerclops’ fur. They stood in silence under the clear blue sky and enjoyed the calm.

It was finally over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The thrilling final battle! The Ruby Pure Heart is no more, and the Valley is saved. Now all that's left is to pick up the pieces. Thanks again to Hekmugi for telling me how cool he thought the chapter was!
> 
> Comments? Criticisms? Always love reading 'em!


	10. Chapter 10

The sun shone brightly, golden rays of glorious sunshine piercing the clouds of the early spring morning. There was a warm, pleasant breeze that slowly shook the branches on the trees outside of the sheriff’s headquarters. The serenity of the pristine hilltop belied the destruction of the kingdom below. The Sheriff’s HQ overlooked the Valley from far beyond the town’s outskirts, sparing it from any damage whatsoever. Everything in the large, wooden house was as it should have been.

Mao Mao’s eyes fluttered open as he was gently brought back to the land of the waking. The blinds covering the window next to the bed were parted, bathing the room in a warm orange hue. He yawned, but the soreness in his arms prevented him from stretching. He kept everything below his neck under the covers as he stared up at the wooden planks looming overhead. Between the gaps he could see the mattress of the middle bunk of his triple-bunk bunk bed. Sinking into his pillow, he allowed himself a moment to appreciate the quiet victory of waking up in the correct bed after so long.

Heavy footsteps from beyond the bedroom door caused the floorboards to creak. Mao Mao could tell that the owner of those feet was trying to move quietly, and he appreciated the sentiment.

The head of a brown-and-white figure peeked its way into the bedroom. The eye on its face opened and a smile grew on its lips when it noticed Mao Mao was awake. The rest of the two-tone body stepped past the bedroom door with its palms pressed together.

"Good morning, my everlasting light," Badgerclops said softly.

Mao Mao’s cheeks were set alight at the unexpectedly sweet greeting. He quickly turned his gaze to the wall at his left. "M-morning, Badgerclops," he said, trying his best not to smile too wide.

"All right, if this is gonna work you gotta step up your name game." Badgerclops pointed his robotic index finger at Mao Mao to drive his point home.

"I think I'll leave all that stuff to you," Mao Mao said, regaining control of his smile.

“You’ll come around eventually.” Badgerclops pointed his organic thumb over his shoulder, towards the kitchen. "So I made, like, fifty pancakes. Adorabat's setting the table now, and all the free space is gonna be filled with butter packets and syrup bottles. You ready to eat?"

"Yeah, breakfast sounds like a good idea." Mao Mao winced as he moved the covers off of himself.

Without asking, Badgerclops approached the bunk bed and pushed the covers to the left side of Mao Mao's bunk. Bending over the bed, he briefly assessed the condition of his partner's body.

The sheriff was covered in white medical wrappings. Both of his forearms were wrapped up, including the space under his gloves. A large, diagonal stripe spanned the distance from his left shoulder to his right hip. That wrapping was connected to one that covered his stomach, particularly the area underneath his sash. The last bit of wrapping was around his right ankle, replacing the red cloth that used to be there. Mao Mao had insisted on wearing his torn and tattered clothes to bed, refusing to so much as wash them before he let Badgerclops tuck him in that night. Looking at him now, Badgerclops saw a Mao Mao that almost looked worse than the one that he carried through the ruins of the kingdom after the battle.

Badgerclops knew what to expect—he was there when Doctor Cuddlestien patched Mao Mao up, after all—but it still hurt him to look at. He and Adorabat had walked away with no more than bruises, but Mao Mao was banged up a lot more than usual. Not even the time every bone in Mao Mao’s body had been broken hurt as much as what he was seeing in front of him. The two of them had finally admitted their feelings for each other, and to see Mao Mao get brought so close to the sacred silence worried him to no end. But Mao Mao needed someone to lean on, and Badgerclops needed to be that someone.

"I can carry you to the kitchen if you need me to," Badgerclops said.

Mao Mao looked to his right, his eyes briefly entranced by the warm, soft fur that covered Badgerclops' body. "Let me try it on my own first, okay?" He gave his partner a reassuring smile.

Badgerclops smiled back. "Okay." He kissed Mao Mao's forehead, then pushed himself away from the bunk space. He stood next to Mao Mao's pillow in case the sheriff needed help.

Under his partner’s watchful eye, Mao Mao swiveled his feet off the bed and inched ever-so-slowly towards the edge of the mattress. He found his footing easily enough, butthe next step was sitting up. The space under the bunk wasn’t high enough for him to sit upright, which meant he had to plan his movements strategically. He rolled himself onto his right side, then carefully folded himself inward. It took more than a few seconds, but Mao Mao’s body was soon parallel to the bed’s edge. He enacted the last step of his plan by quickly rolling over the edge of the bed. He was still bent at a ninety-degree angle, but he was finally out of his bed.

“You good?” Badgerclops asked, bending forward to get a better look at his partner’s face.

Sweat rolled down Mao Mao’s forehead as he corrected his posture. The process was slow, and the pain was evident on his strained face, but his pace picked up the more he straightened himself out. A few moments later he was standing as tall as his toned, little body would allow. He wiped the sweat from his brow and smiled proudly at Badgerclops. “See? Told you I could do it.”

Badgerclops held out his robotic hand and smiled back. “I knew you could.”

Mao Mao wrapped his arms as tightly as he could around Badgerclops’ robo-arm then rested his head against the mechanical appendage. He let the cyborg deputy lead him out of the bedroom and into the kitchen. The strong smell of warm pancakes suckerpunched his nose, and the shockwave caused his stomach to rumble audibly.

As soon as they entered the kitchen’s doorway, a loud and cheerful voice greeted them excitedly. “Good morning, Mao Mao!” Adorabat said from her place at the table. She poked her head around the stack of pancakes that sat on her plate and waved to the sheriff.

“Morning, my littlest deputy.” Mao Mao kept his voice in check, but he was quite shocked at the sight before him. True to Badgerclops’ word, the entire table was covered in pancakes and pancake condiments. Not only that, there were more pancakes on the counters flanking the stove.

“Badgerclops, are you sure this isn’t a bit excessive?” Mao Mao asked.

“Pssh. Nah, man. It’ll all be gone in a minute.”

Mao Mao was led to his seat, the one situated between the other two. Badgerclops sat to his right, and Adorabat was already sitting at his left. Five pancakes were stacked on the sheriff's plate, seven on Adorabat's, and fifteen on Badgerclops'. The latter two wasted no time smothering their stacks with syrup, though Mao Mao ended up needing to help Adorabat with hers. While Badgerclops and Adorabat were stuffing entire pancakes down their gullets, Mao Mao took his time with a knife and fork.

“Oh yeah,” Badgerclops said with a mouth full of food. He swallowed his pancakes before continuing. “Are you sure you still wanna go down to the hospital?”

“Of course,” Mao Mao replied. "I'm not gonna let a couple of scratches get in the way of my duties."

“Dude, look at yourself. Those are not just 'scratches'. You won’t even last the ride there."

Mao Mao shook his head. "I'll be fine. The more I sit still, the harder it'll be to start moving. And don't tell me I should get some rest. I've been laying in bed for an entire day. It's about time I got up and did something."

Badgerclops shrugged in concession. "All right, all right. But if I see you so much as wince we're coming straight back home." He punctuated his comment by swallowing another pancake.

"Besides, the sweetypies down there need all the help they can get. The injured weren't the only ones affected by the spire's collapse." Mao Mao cut a slice from his stack of pancakes and carefully chewed it.

A soft, nearly silent sigh escaped Adorabat's nose.

Mao Mao heard the sigh, and felt a pang of sadness that caused his brow to twitch. “Thankfully, we were there to help those in need. Right, Adorabat?”

“Yeah,” Adorabat said quietly before stuffing a pancake in her mouth.

“Cheer up little buddy,” Badgerclops said as he stood up with an empty plate. “I destroyed an entire village so hard they had to change its name, and look at me! The greatest, most legendary hero in the world is my boyfriend!”

“Badgerclops is right… in a sense,” Mao Mao admitted. “Just think of this as a really,  _ really _ big speed bump on the road to becoming a true hero. And hey, don’t forget that me flying into the Ruby Pure Heart started this whole mess.”

“Sometimes things are just a little too out of our control,” Badgerclops said, sitting back down in his chair with a fresh stack of pancakes. “When that happens, you just have to roll with the punches.”

“And who knows—even if you fall, you might stumble into the opportunity of a lifetime.” Mao Mao smiled at Badgerclops, who did his best to smile back with a mouth full of pancakes.

Adorabat’s frown slowly turned into a small smile. “Thanks, guys.”

“Now eat up,” Mao Mao said. “I wanna leave as soon as possible.”

“Just don’t forget I have to change your bandages before we go,” Badgerclops said.

Mao Mao pointed his fork at Badgerclops. “ _ You’re _ the one who’d forget.”

“Well, I didn’t!”

“Good.”

“Good!”

Mao Mao and Badgerclops leaned towards each other for a quick kiss.

“Blegh!” Adorabat pretended to gag. “Some of us are trying to eat here!”

“The syrup makes it even sweeter!” Badgerclops said with a laugh.

Mao Mao hid his burning red face behind his stack of pancakes while Adorabat joined in on Badgerclops’ increasingly boisterous laughter.

* * *

The aerocycle descended towards an open field just outside the kingdom’s walls. There were two olive-green tents situated next to each other, one large and one small. Between them was a vertical row of five electric generators, myriad cables slinking under the cloth and into each tent. The larger of the two tents housed most of the sweetypies that were injured during the spire’s collapse and the resulting destruction. They were laid on salvageable mattresses and patched up with what little medical supplies could be scavenged by those brave enough to procure them from the ruins of various medical facilities and general stores.

Mao Mao carefully landed the aerocycle a couple meters in front of the smaller tent. While the larger tent was made to fit over a dozen sweetypies, the smaller tent could only comfortably fit one. The tent’s entrance was being carefully guarded by a small, light blue, avian sweetypie.

“Morning, Quinton,” Mao Mao said as Badgerclops assisted in his aerocycle dismounting. “Is the king awake?”

Quinton nodded silently.

Mao Mao nodded and walked ahead of his deputies. “Great! Then we’ll—”

A feathered hand was held up, denying the trio entry.

Mao Mao recoiled slightly from the gesture, his advance brought to a halt. He quickly composed himself and furrowed his brow. “Quinton,” he said in a low voice, “stand aside.”

Quinton shook his head vigorously.

“Listen here you little turkey,” Mao Mao took a step forward. “I didn't come all the way down here just to get 'no' for an answer. Let us through, before I charge you with obstruction of justice.”

Quinton rolled imaginary sleeves up his arms and put up his dukes.

“Quinton?” a voice weakly called from inside the tent. “Is that the sheriff’s department?”

The avian sweetypie was surprised to hear his name called. He poked his head into the tent and nodded.

“Come, now,” the voice said at a much lower volume. “You know I revealed my secret to them some time ago. Let them in.”

Quinton reluctantly returned his gaze to the party, but promptly ushered the sheriff and his deputies into the tent. As soon as they had entered, he returned to guarding the entrance from the outside.

Greeting the trio was the sight of Snugglemagne smiling at them from a proper hospital bed, which was lifting the king's upper body at a modest angle. His wig was nowhere to be found, in its place white medical wrapping that covered his right eye. His upper body was dressed in a light blue hospital gown, though the wrappings that covered the entire length of his arms suggested that not all was well underneath. His paws rested atop the white blanket that covered everything below his chest.

“Greetings, you three,” Snugglemagne said. “I must say it is a pleasure to see you all safe and sound.”

Mao Mao returned a smile. “Thank you, your grace. I see you’re being taken care of.”

“Yes, though I am indeed in quite a bit of pain. You lot did quite a number on me, it seems.”

“I…” Mao Mao clenched his eyes shut in shame.

“Do not apologize. Had you held back, there’s no telling how successful you would have been. The pain you visited upon me is a symbol of your bravery.”

“Not gonna lie,” Badgerclops said, “beating you up twice felt pretty good.”

“Badgerclops!” Mao Mao glared back at his partner.

Snugglemagne laughed heartily, though it was cut short by a sharp pain in his abdomen. “I suppose I deserve it, after all that I’ve done.”

Mao Mao looked at Snugglemagne with sad eyes. “Your grace…”

“Spare me the niceties. You’re here to arrest me, are you not?"

The question was raised too casually for Mao Mao’s liking. His chest tightened and his voice was suddenly caught in his throat.

“Well? What are the charges?”

Mao Mao steeled himself and spoke calmly. “You’re being charged with forty-eight counts of assaulting a member of the royal guard, and…” he glanced to his right at his deputies, “... and three counts of assaulting an officer of the law.”

Snugglemagne nodded. "Yes, that seems correct. I confess. I am guilty on all counts."

Neither the sheriff nor his two deputies objected to the confession. The fact was that it was true.

"You previously reported that Adorabat heard a voice in her head when she was being influenced by the Ruby Pure Heart, correct? That morning, I experienced that firsthand.”

Mao Mao, Adorabat, and Badgerclops all leaned forward slightly in curiosity.

“The fear its voice instilled in me…” Snugglemagne clenched his eyes shut and shook his head. “I remember it so clearly. The words it spoke belonged to no language I'm aware of, yet I could understand it clearly. It issued to me a warning—or, perhaps a threat. Were I to continue down my path of entrusting the Valley's safety to you, my bloodline would never recover from the aftermath."

Mao Mao was fixated on the king's face, nodding as he absorbed the details of the story.

"The only thought in my mind was the desire to escape. I had to get as far away from the Ruby Pure Heart as possible. I disguised myself and intended to sneak out, but I was clumsy. I was spotted rather quickly and was treated as an intruder. I couldn't let them take me back… so I fought. I learned today that it was Quinton who pulled the alarm that called you to the castle. Had he been one of my victims…" Snugglemagne shook his head, ridding his mind of that line of thinking. "I know not what it sought to gain from its actions. Was there an ulterior motive beyond my bloodline?” He paused, his head sinking into his pillow. “Perhaps it's best we'll never know. Whatever plan it had in motion, you lot thoroughly squashed it.”

The king sighed. "I acted out of fear, but make no mistake—my mind was my own. Or, at least, that's what I want to believe. In the end, my attempt to escape gave the Ruby Pure Heart what it truly wanted…" he moved his left paw over his chest, "... control. That's all that blasted rock ever wanted." His voice became more venomous as he spoke. He balled his left paw into a fist and closed his eye. He relaxed his body and turned to Mao Mao. “I gave you a confession. Why have I not been detained yet?”

Mao Mao had previously been listening with only regret and sadness in his heart; however, that changed upon hearing Snugglemagne's last question. The muscles in his face tightened, and he felt like he could shout. He suppressed his voice as best he could, then looked Snugglemagne in the eye.

“You want to run away again?”

Snugglemagne was taken aback by the resistance. He stared back at Mao Mao silently.

“There are people out there, people in  _ here _ , who need you now more than ever. Instead of answering their cries for help, you’d rather hide from them and wallow in your self-pity? Do you think you’re making some noble sacrifice by letting us put you away? If you really feel so bad about what you did, then you need to do whatever you can to make it right. The second you step into that cell, you’ll lose the control that Pure Heart Valley was destroyed for.”

The king blinked as he processed what Mao Mao said. His eyes widened—not with surprise but with realization.

“You’re right. After all that you’ve done for me, I cannot give up. I shall grant myself a royal pardon and take up the mantle of king once more!”

“Can he even do that?” Badgerclops asked Adorabat, who shrugged in response.

“Of course I can. I’m the king!” Snugglemagne giggled.

Mao Mao smiled. “If I may, your grace…”

Snugglemagne looked to the sheriff and cocked his head slightly. “Hmm?”

“There are others who I feel are deserving of a similar treatment. Namely—”

“The Sky Pirates?” Snugglemagne finished Mao Mao’s sentence with lowered eyelids, immediately coming down from his elated state.

Mao Mao nodded. "Rufus and Reggie, as well."

“Who are they again?"

"The Takesgiving Day conmen. They provided crucial information that led to our meeting with the Sky Pirates."

"I'll pretend I know what that is and make my judgements accordingly, but the Sky Pirates? Do you understand what you ask of me?"

Mao Mao nodded. 

Snugglemagne stared into Mao Mao’s eyes for a moment while coming up with an answer. “I will consider your request. That is all I can promise.”

“I understand. Thank you, your grace.”

The king sighed. “It seems I have an itinerary for the day.”

“But, your grace, you’re still in pain.”

“And my people are not?!” Snugglemagne snapped.

Mao Mao flinched at the sudden spike in volume.

Snugglemagne exhaled slowly, calming himself down. “I’ve been a pawn for far too long. It’s time I started acting like a king.”

Mao Mao covered his mouth, stifling a laugh.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, it’s just… that may be the first time you've sounded like a king.”

Snugglemagne blushed and broke eye contact. “I suppose I’m long overdue for behavior fitting my position. I will address this at once.”

“How’re you gonna do that?” Adorabat asked.

“With an address, of course.” Snugglemagne rolled his eyes. “There is much that needs to be said. I must prepare a script. In three hours' time, gather all able sweetypies in the fountain square."

The sheriff and his two deputies saluted their king. "Yes, your grace!" they said in unison.

“Oh, and one more thing. You three… you may continue to refer to me as you always have, however you should know that you may call me by my name when you see fit. I will be doing the same for you.” Snugglemagne smiled softly as he finished speaking.

"Thank you, your grace," Mao Mao said with a shallow bow. He, along with Adorabat and Badgerclops, smiled as the three of them exited the tent.

Snugglemagne maintained his smile as the sheriff's department left his tent. He then closed his eyes and mentally prepared himself for the task ahead. 

* * *

Under the warm afternoon sun, a crowd of sweetypies gathered before the busted stone fountain that had stopped producing water a full day prior. They chatted amongst themselves, passing the time with idle conversation until the king made his appearance. Among the topics of discussion were reminiscences about what used to be, concerns about loved ones, and questions about the future of Pure Heart Valley.

Standing to the right of the fountain was the sheriff’s department, watching the crowd silently as they, too, waited for the king’s address to begin. Mao Mao held his arms behind his back, though his hands never could quite reach each other. To his left stood Badgerclops, with Adorabat perched on the badger's right shoulder. The crowd was under control, and the king would arrive in less than a minute to deliver a speech.

Rufus and Reggie stood calmly to Badgerclops' left. The sheriff's department thought Rufus would be a tad uncomfortable with the memories of what Mao Mao did to him fresh in his mind, but he too held his hands behind his back and stared silently at the crowd. Reggie could be seen taking occasional glances at his partner-in-crime, making sure the fox was still all there.

"I remain true to my word, sheriff," Rufus said. "I will never forgive you for what you did to me in either life."

"I know, Rufus," Mao Mao said without turning his gaze away from the crowd.

"Still, it seems I owe you my gratitude regardless. The king said you put in a good word for Reg and I."

"The members of the sheriff's department are the only ones aware of your crimes. For the help you gave me, the least I could do was make sure it stayed that way."

"That's right. Reg and I are already putting together a list of requests."

"I’m not hearing that ‘gratitude’ you mentioned."

"I will not be brushed off aga—"

Mao Mao loudly shushed Rufus. Knowing the fox was looking around Badgerclops' belly to glare at him, he nodded towards the sight behind the crowd.

Right on schedule, King Snugglemagne rounded a corner into the stone archway that served as the entrance to the town. He was sporting his wig, which handily had no effect on the bandages covering his eye. The king was wearing his old lavender cape and blue pants, likely spares salvaged from the palace as they were torn and covered in dirt. Revealed to all were the extent of his injuries as his entire torso was covered in medical wrappings. His trusty avian companion Quinton walked by his side as one would expect.

Following close behind the king were all four members of the Sky Pirates. Orangusnake, Ratarang, Boss Hosstrich, and Ramaraffe walked around the crowd's left in a single-file line. While the three henchmen stared forward, Orangusnake observed the crowd with an angry look in his eyes. He knew they were judging him and his crew. He could hear their murmurs, questioning the king’s decision to lead such dangerous thugs into their kingdom. He couldn’t blame them—his recent good deeds wouldn’t outweigh the slew of slights against them—but he would rather keep up his aggressive demeanor than show that they were getting to him.

The Sky Pirates took their places to the left of the fountain as Snugglemagne made his way to the center of the crowd’s collective vision. Quinton moved to the same side as the sheriff’s department, standing between Mao Mao and the king. Through great effort, the king scaled the wall of the fountain’s basin so that he could see more of the crowd and vice versa. He held his arms out in front of him, palms slightly askew, and the sweetypies’ stirrings instantly ceased. He examined the crowd for a moment with stern eyes, then began his address.

“Thank you all for being here today. I'm sure you have no end of questions. ‘Who destroyed our wonderful kingdom?’ ‘Why would they do such a thing?’ ‘Where do we go from here?’ I will endeavor to answer as many of these as I can and more."

Though he didn't show it, Mao Mao was surprised to hear the king speak with such a strong, steady voice. He felt Snugglemagne's conviction during their conversation, but he wasn't sure how it would manifest.

"Our once great kingdom has been brought to its knees. We have repelled a great many threats, but the scale of this injustice was unprecedented. Some of you may have your suspicions as to who may have been at the center of all this. Well, let me set the record straight. We were betrayed… by the Ruby Pure Heart."

The members of the crowd spoke amongst themselves again. Snugglemagne waited a few moments before he continued his speech, the murmurs dying as they turned their attention back to him.

"It sought to control us… control  _ me _ . I'm ashamed of how successful it was. I allowed it to sow fear deep in my heart. I doubted the strength of my allies. I should have turned to them for help. Instead, I chose to run away. My cowardice was this kingdom's downfall.

“And yet, knowing this, I was saved. From the brink of despair I was shown a hope I thought long lost." Snugglemagne held his arms out as his sides, directing the crowd's attention to the guests at either side of him. "Treading unfamiliar lands far away from the Valley, our daring sheriff and his most corpulent deputy risked life and limb to make it back here. Tales of their exploits will unfortunately have to wait, but rest assured I will be listening right alongside you all. For now, I would like to focus on one particular aspect of their journey.

“Enemies became allies, and it was this unlikely alliance that turned the tide back in our favor. Together, they overcame many obstacles that would have been insurmountable without their teamwork. Just as we honor the sheriff's department, we owe the Sky Pirates our gratitude."

The sweetypies, the ever presumptuous bunch, interrupted the king's speech once again; this time, to discuss the Sky Pirates.

“Yes, you all heard me.”

Silence instantly replaced the confused chatter. The king’s phrasing came off as a challenge. He scanned the crowd for any remaining signs of objection. He found none, and continued.

“I am not deaf to your concerns. These ruffians have caused us no end of grief. Their goal was to make off with the Ruby Pure Heart, and they were brutally relentless in their attempts to do so. Make no mistake, those crimes have not been forgotten, nor have they been forgiven.”

Mao Mao, who had been looking at Snugglemagne, maintained his glare. He was weary of the king’s words, and was ready to speak up if they weren’t to his liking.

“As such, I have passed this judgement on them…” Snugglemagne paused for dramatic effect, glancing at Orangusnake before continuing.

“... The Sky Pirates will be assisting us in the reconstruction of our kingdom.”

Mao Mao sighed in relief. The crowd, however, remained silent.

Snugglemagne looked at the villains to his right. “Not only will their unique abilities be invaluable boons to the rebuilding process, but their airship will allow us to recruit more help from the outside world.” He returned his gaze to the crowd. “In these trying times, we need all the help we can afford. That is why we will not turn our backs on those who ask for nothing in return. All of those who stand beside me today deserve your utmost respect. But of course, there is one in particular who deserves a special thanks." He smiled and turned to his left.

Mao Mao met Snugglemagne's gaze with surprise.

"This individual has been a part of our lives for quite a while now. He has driven away our problems, and caused them in equal measure."

The sheriff blushed and scratched the back of his head, to which the king giggled.

"Overcoming fearsome monsters, dastardly villains, and his own demons—through all of it, he held on to a single dream. That dream saw him through all of the trials that dared to stand in his way. That dream allowed him to cut through the Ruby Pure Heart’s deception. That dream was our salvation. From his first day here, he has worked tirelessly to achieve his dream. And now, I can say this with pride…” Snugglemagne stepped down from the fountain and faced Mao Mao. “On behalf of all past, present, and future citizens of Pure Heart Valley, I humbly thank you for your service.”

The king placed his right paw on his chest and bowed towards the sheriff. “Mao Mao, you are truly a hero worthy of legend.”

Badgerclops and Adorabat gasped in unison, displaying their happiness with massive smiles.

“I do wish there was more we could do to honor you at the moment. Rest assured, a statue will be erected when w—” As Snugglemagne lifted his head to stand, the sight before him made him pause.

Mao Mao sniffled loudly. His left arm was drawn over his eyes to dam the stream of tears that managed to escape down his face. His whole body shook and he gritted his teeth in an attempt to stop any unwanted whimpers from leaving his throat.

Badgerclops stood behind Mao Mao and put his hands on his partner’s shoulders. Adorabat moved to the sheriff’s front and pressed herself against her hero’s chest.

Snugglemagne turned his attention back to the audience with a smile. “The Ruby Pure Heart may have taken our past, but thanks to these brave few we have a chance to rebuild our future.” He threw his arms into the air. “Please, a round of applause for the heroes of Pure Heart!”

The air was quickly filled with a thunderous applause. The sweetypies whooped and hollered for their saviors, heroes and villains alike.

Forgoing any effort to hide his feelings, Mao Mao embraced Adorabat with both arms. He looked out at the crowd and smiled through his tears. He waited his whole life for this moment, and for a few moments he allowed himself to bask in his well-deserved glory.

"Mao Mao!" a voice called over the applause.

Orangusnake waved as he approached Mao Mao. His crew followed behind him, looking just as happy as their leader.

"Congratulations, Mr. Legendary Hero!" the serpent said cheerfully.

“We’re mighty thankful for the opportunity ta help y’all,” Boss Hosstrich said as he tipped his hat.

"Y'all've earned it," Mao Mao said.

"You know, you ended up being right about a lot of things," Orangusnake said, "but there's one thing you still got wrong."

"What's that?"

Orangusnake bent down and whispered into Mao Mao's ear, "The king is most definitely a 10." He stood up and waved goodbye. "See you around!" He led the other former Sky Pirates in Snugglemagne's direction.

As the waterworks seemed to come to an end, he felt the wall of fur behind him press into him. Turning his head, he saw Badgerclops lean over his right shoulder.

Badgerclops wiped Mao Mao's tears away with a claw. He opened his eye slightly and grinned down at Mao Mao.

Mao Mao cocked an eyebrow at his partner. "What's that look for?" he asked with a laugh. His expression quickly shifted to one of playful anger as he realized what Badgerclops was up to. "Don't say it—!"

Badgerclops planted a kiss on the grumpy sheriff's right cheek and smiled. "I love you, Mao Mao."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for coming on this journey with me. Whether you’ve been around since March 19, 2020, hopped on at some point in the middle, or are just getting to it now that it’s complete, I appreciate all the time you’ve spent reading my story.
> 
> Thanks to the anon who originally sent the idea of a “Reset AU” to SpookyLovesBoba’s old Tumblr, and to WuffinArts for making several works of art based on the concept. This story didn’t end up in a place I could call it a part of that AU, but since day one I’ve been up-front about its origins. Those drawings inspired me to write this story in the first place, and though it ended up going off the rails of the original concept I’m happy I ended up with something I can call my own.
> 
> Last but undeniably the opposite of least… Hekmugi, my beta-reader, my colleague, my dear friend, this story wouldn’t have been half of what it was without you. Through all the hours you spent correcting my grammar, suggesting alternative phrasings, and sorting out my own thoughts, you helped turn this passion project into a PASSION project. You were instrumental to the successful completion of this story, and everyone needs to know it. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much.
> 
> Now that the story is over, feel free to use this chapter’s comment section to talk about the story at large. All comments and criticisms will be read and appreciated, now and forever. Thank you.


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